When it comes to child custody and visitation in Illinois, the courts often award shared parenting time in the event of the divorce, so long as it is in the best interests of the child. Shared parenting time means the child spends periods with both parents.
While some parents have a joint physical custody arrangement (i.e., spending equal time with both parents), others may have arrangements in which one parent has sole physical custody and the other parent has the child with him/her during school breaks, holidays, or weeks or weekends at a time during the year. The home where the child spends the most time is considered the primary residence, which is also determined when parents have equal shared parenting time, for legal purposes.
The following are the most common types of parenting schedules based on how parenting time is divided:
50/50 joint physical custody – This type of custody arrangement means the child spends half of his/her time with one parent and half with the other parent. Common types of 50/50 schedules are the 2-2-3 schedule (the child spends two days with one parent, two days with the other, and three days with the first parent, then the arrangement switches the next week), the 2-2-5-5 schedule (the child spends two days with each parent and then five days with each parent), and the alternating-weeks schedule (the child spends one week with one parent then the next week with the other).
60/40 custody – This type of schedule requires one parent to have the child for four days and the other parent has the child for three days. Common types of 60/40 schedules are the every-extended-weekend schedule (the child spends weekdays with one parent and a long weekend with the other) and the 4-3 schedule (the child spends four days with one parent and three days with the other).
70/30 custody – This type of schedule requires one parent to have the child for five days and the other parent has the child for two days. Common examples of 70/30 schedules are the every-weekend schedule (the child spends the entire week with one parent and the weekends with the other), the 5-2 schedule (the child spends five days with one parent and two days with the other), the every-third-week schedule (the child lives with one parent for two weeks and one week with the other parent), and the every-third-day schedule (the child spends two days with one parent and one day with the other).
80/20 custody – This type of schedule requires one parent to have the child for most of the time, while the other parent spends time with the child every other weekend. Common examples of 80/20 schedules are the first-third-fifth-weekend schedule (the child lives with one parent and visits the other parent on the first, third, and fifth weekends of the month), the second-fourth-and fifth-weekend schedule (the child visits noncustodial parent every second, fourth, and fifth weekends of the month), and the every-third-weekend schedule.
If you are interested in establishing or modifying child custody and visitation in Chicago, call the Law Offices of Jonathan Merel, P.C. at (312) 487-2795 or fill out our online contact form today to learn how we can help you. Serving clients throughout Illinois since 2009.