Living in Illinois, you may know that equal parenting time isn’t yet required by law. However, many father’s rights groups have been pushing for this to become the standard in court.
Presently, Illinois’ judges have the right to determine and assign custody in any way that reflects the best interests of the child. However, that standard is fairly vague, so it can mean that parents go into court not knowing what to expect.
Changing the current law would make it so that there was a “rebuttable presumption” that the child should spend equal time with both parents. A new law would also ask for judges to explain why they chose to deviate from this standard if they did so.
In 2018, a similar bill reached the House, but it did not pass. The bill is contentious, and it was not a civil discussion when it reached the House in 2018. Those against the bill feel that it could adversely affect children of divorced parents by forcing them to travel back and forth between parents who don’t get along. It could also not address the reality that sharing equal time with both parents may not be in the best interests of children, even though psychologists disagree.
No matter what side of the issue you’re on, it’s important for your children’s best interests to be protected in court. You should stand up for them and make sure you fight for fair time with your child so that you can continue to bond and have a secure relationship even though your marriage is ending.