Chicago Parental Relocation Attorney

Lawyer in Cook County for Moving to a New City or State With Your Child After Divorce

As a parent, you probably make meeting your child's needs one of your top priorities. Your child's best interests and well-being affect just about every choice you make in a given day. If you are a divorced parent, however, your child's best interests probably include maintaining a positive relationship with the other parent as well. From a practical standpoint, this means that you cannot simply decide to move to a new city or state without cooperating with your former partner.

If you have the opportunity to move out of the area, whether or not you are already subject to a parenting plan or a child custody order, we can help. The skilled team at The Law Offices of Curtis Bennett Ross, LLC will assist you in taking the necessary steps toward building your new life. We have the experience, training, and resources to help you make the best decisions for your future while protecting the best interests of your child.

Trusted Illinois Family Law Attorney

When a couple with children gets divorced in Illinois, the divorce judgment or settlement must include arrangements for how the couple will divide parental responsibilities. Often called a "parenting plan," these arrangements specify how the parents will make important decisions for the child, as well as a schedule for each parent's parenting time. Once a plan is in place, the court will only modify the arrangement if there is a substantial change in the family's circumstances. This is because stability is an important element of raising a happy, healthy child.

Under Illinois law, if you have at least half of the parenting time, you are free to move with your child within a certain radius from your current home without seeking approval from the other parent or the court. However, if you intend to move outside of that radius, the move is considered a significant change in circumstances. The law calls such a move a "relocation," and it defines a relocation as:

• A move of more than 25 miles from a home in DuPage, Kane, Cook, Lake, McHenry, and Will County to a new home in another part of Illinois;
• A move of more than 50 miles from a home in any other Illinois county to a new home in another part of Illinois; or
• A move of more than 25 miles from a home anywhere in Illinois to a new home in another state.

Parental Advocate in Andersonville and Bucktown

There are many reasons that might consider moving out of the area with your child, including employment, educational opportunities, or the presence of extended family. If your move would be a relocation, however, it must be approved by the other parent, and a new parenting arrangement must be presented to the court. If the parent does not consent to the move, you can ask the court to allow the relocation anyway.

Attorney Curtis Bennett Ross has over 30 years of family law experience, and he will help you show the court that your relocation will ultimately serve your child's best interests. He and his team will also work with you in developing a new parenting plan that fosters a continued relationship between your child and the other parent.

If your former partner is trying to move out of the area with your child and you believe that the move will be detrimental to your child, we can help you take action as well. Mr. Ross recognizes the importance of the relationship that you have with your child, and if the relocation will threaten that relationship, he will assist you in protecting your parental rights and your child's best interests.

Contact Our Firm Today

To learn more about our practice and our approach to parental relocations in Illinois, contact our office. Call 312-984-1514 for a free limited introductory consultation at The Law Offices of Curtis Bennett Ross, LLC today. Our firm represents clients in The Loop, Old Town, Wrightwood, Gold Coast, Wicker Park, Bucktown, Oak Park, Lincoln Park, River North, downtown Chicago, and the rest of Cook County.