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What Is Included in a Parenting Plan?

Posted on March 12, 2018 in Family Law

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If you are going through a divorce and have children under the age of 18, you will have to come up with a parenting plan. Since there is often confusion about what a parenting plan actually is and what to expect when one is drafted and implemented, we have decided to outline the basics in this informative article.

What Is a Parenting Plan?

A legal document that explains how a divorce impacts minor children is known as a parenting plan. It includes information on weekly parenting time, major life decisions, and other components about your children’s lives. In Illinois, a parenting plan must contain the following elements:

Parenting time distribution: A parenting plan must outline where children will live and how much time they will spend with their other parent.
Decision-making power: In some cases, only one parent will have the power to make important life decisions regarding their children. Other times, this decision-making power is shared between both parents. These decisions can relate to the children’s education, extracurricular activities, medical treatment, and religious upbringing.
Mediation provision: The purpose of a mediation provision is to allow parents to come to an agreement if they cannot agree on a certain issue related to their children.
Right of refusal provision: The right of refusal provision allows a parent to take care of children if the other is out of town, busy, sick, or unable to be with their children during their parenting time.
Parent contact information: Contact information for both parents is clearly listed in the document so that they can get in touch with one another whenever necessary.

It is important to note that the amount of detail included in a parenting plan varies. Parents who have a good relationship will not require as specific of a parenting plan as those with high levels of conflict.

How Does the Court Influence a Parenting Plan?

The court will typically allow parents to negotiate a parenting plan on their own. However, if parents cannot come to an agreement or the judge believes that the plan is not in the best interests of the children, they will interfere. Once the parenting plan is entered by the court, it becomes an official court order.

Contact Our DuPage County Divorce Attorneys

If you have minor children, a parenting plan is one of the most important aspects of your divorce case. To ensure your rights are protected and the parenting plan is in the best interests of your children, contact our experienced DuPage County divorce attorneys. Call us today at 630-932-9100.

Source:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?ActID=2086&ChapterID=59&SeqStart=8300000&SeqEnd=10000000

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