Peoria Child Custody Lawyer

How Courts Determine Child Custody

One of the most delicate and emotionally difficult aspects of legal separation and divorce is child custody. Parties must come to a mutual agreement on custody and visitation. In the event that an arrangement cannot be agreed upon, the parents must petition the court for custody.

When parents petition the court for custody, the court will make its determination on the basis of the best interests of the child. In considering the child's best interests, the court will look at the following factors:

• Parents' wishes
• Child's wishes
• Child's relationship with each of the parents
• Child's adjustment to home, school, and community
• Mental and physical health of all concerned
• Any history of domestic violence or threats of violence against the child or another person
• Each parent's willingness to encourage a relationship with the other parent
• Whether each parent is a sex offender
• Whether each parent is in active military service
• Witness testimony - 3rd party evaluation

Joint Custody

Family courts prefer to award joint legal custody to both parents. Joint physical custody is determined either by agreement between the parents or by order of the court. To determine whether joint custody is appropriate, the family court will consider the best interests of the child and the living accommodations of each parent. Parents who are awarded joint custody must sign a Joint Parenting Agreement, which delineates each parent's rights and responsibilities for the care of the child.

The Joint Parenting Agreement will contain a mediation clause, which requires the parents to settle any disputes regarding the joint custody arrangement through mediation. In this state, child custody may not be modified for at least 2 years after the original custody order, unless the court is convinced that the existing custody arrangement will endanger the child's physical, mental, moral, or emotional health.

The Benefits Of Working With Our Legal Team

At McCall Law Offices, P.C., our experienced Peoria family law attorney is well-versed in the laws that govern many complex issues that may complicate family law cases. This is especially beneficial to clients who fear contentious courtroom battles. You can turn to our firm for a legal team that is dedicated, experienced, and results oriented. We have 10 years of experience with a record of successful results for our clients. Go here to see our case results. Attorney McCall's skills have been recognized through many awards, including:

• Avvo Superb Rating for family law and divorce
• Avvo Client's Choice Award in 2013
• Super Lawyers® listing among Rising StarsSM for 2 years in a row
• American Society of Legal Advocates listing among the Top 40 Under 40, an honor bestowed on less than 2% of the lawyers in the U.S.

We Go the Extra Mile to Make You Feel Comfortable

Our Peoria divorce attorney at McCall Law Offices, P.C. can help you work toward an amicable solution so you do not have to deal with the emotional hardships and financial costs of contentious litigation. The approach used by our firm is not aggressive or hostile -- we try to foster common ground where both parties can openly discuss their concerns and remain cordial in chalking out a parenting plan. Our Peoria child custody attorney has been a member of the Board of Directors for the Center for Prevention of Abuse, which focuses on victims in abusive relationships, children, education and rehabilitation for abusers. We are well-poised to handle complex cases and antagonistic attitudes effectively and swiftly.

It is best if couples agree to a custody arrangement without dragging the matter to court. It can be quite emotionally draining to navigate the process and options you must choose once you have filed your petition in court. When the matter is handled in court, the court will make the decisions for you -- from declaring who will be the custodial parent and who will get physical and legal custody to outlining the terms of the visitation rights.

Our Peoria child custody attorney will fight for your parental rights.

You will definitely want to make decisions that are in the best interests of your child or children. Let our knowledgeable Peoria family law attorney help you make informed decisions that do not adversely affect your children in the present or the future. We can also assist in matters of child custody modifications.

Get honest and competent legal services and preserve the bright future you envision for your children. Contact us for high-quality legal representation for your child custody matter!