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Illinois Child Custody Questions & Answers
0 Answers | Asked in Family Law, Child Custody and Child Support for Illinois on
Q: Can u legally have ur child's last name changed to yours by filing it in court as an adults name change?

I have a 7 year old daughter with a man that has been in and out of her life the full 7 years mostly out of her life. At 5 months old He went to our local county courthouse and had her last name changed to his within 2 weeks and all without my consent. I recently found out he filed the name change... View More

0 Answers | Asked in Child Custody, Divorce and Family Law for Illinois on
Q: I am wondering what I can do to maintain my relationship with my step-children now that I do not have custody of them.

I left ex-spouse last March w/ my two children and her two from her previous marriage(I had raised them since they were not even 1/2, and they are now 7/8). I got emergency custody orders of my children, and was able to call the bio father of the other two so he could come and get them and keep... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for Illinois on
Q: How can new York give custody when there is a custody case filled here in Illinois between his mom and I

I didn't even know he was going out of state to see his sister and I get temporary custody papers in the mail...I go to court in New York to pick my son up and they wouldn't release him to me... Even though there were no allegations on me

Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on Oct 10, 2024

Is there a custody order in either state? This is a complicated matter that requires a phone call. I practice in Illinois but not in all counties in Illinois. It looks like you are from Paris, and if that is where your case is filed I would not be able to represent you. However, you need an... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody and Family Law for Illinois on
Q: My son went to see his sister for a visit in New York without me knowing..I got emergency custody papers in the mail

I have my rights as a father and New York family Court has given custody of my minor son to his sister...I wanted to file kidnapping charges on her but the authorities won't help...my next court date is on the 10th and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do to get my son back but... View More

Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on Oct 5, 2024

Your first order of business is to get a lawyer in NY to represent you. Do you have custody of the child in IL? If so, you need to get a certified copy of it and email it to your lawyer in ny.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for Illinois on
Q: Can I voluntarily sign my rights over to the other parent
Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on Sep 13, 2024

No. Not unless your rights are terminated by juvenile court or through an adoption if the other parent is remarried and wishes to adopt.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law, Child Custody, Gov & Administrative Law and Juvenile Law for Illinois on
Q: DCFS indicated me for husbands failed drug test, when he did not have children in his care when he tested.
Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on Sep 14, 2024

You need to file an appeal. You should get a letter from Springfield about it. Read your appeal rights and follow the instructions to appeal.

Then send a written request for the dcfs file for the purpose of an appeal. This is not a simple task and you should have a lawyer to represent...
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1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for Illinois on
Q: Is a g.a.l. required to produce a record or report of their findings upon request?

In Illinois 17th district, is a g.a.l. required to make a report of their findings and keep transcripts of their interviews and any other records pertaining to the case? If so, acting pro se, are they required to give them to me upon request? Is there a statute or local rule stating any of this?

Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on Sep 9, 2024

GAL'S usually file a written report that contains their findings and the basis of their decisions. There are no recorded tapes to transcribe. After their report is written they may destroy their notes.

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce and Child Custody for Illinois on
Q: Can my ex wife all the judge to change the wording to a motion that was granted to me while at a status hearing

Was granted a motion for reunification counseling to be ordered. At next status hearing, ex wife asked that the wording be changed from reunification counseling to family counseling. These are very different types of counseling with different objectives. Judge allowed it. Can I challenge this? I... View More

Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on Aug 31, 2024

The objection should have been made before he changed it. If the order was changed less than 30 days ago you can try but I don't know that it is going to get you anywhere. This is a problem if you are acting as your own lawyer.

1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody for Illinois on
Q: How would I gain joint custody of my siblings with my mother if she is willing?

I'm currently 18, however I am in the military and I've had a stable job since I was 16

Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on Jun 23, 2024

Usually enlisted persons cannot have any kind of authority over children. Is that not what you are being told?

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for Illinois on
Q: My sons dad is refusing to give our son back

We have a custody order, week on week off during the summer. His week has ended and he will not give our son back. He claims our son does not want to come back but my son says otherwise. The judge won't hear my emergency motion and even though our court order says police enforceable, they... View More

Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on May 31, 2024

Your court order governs. Apparently the judge didn't see this as an emergency but I hope you have a court date scheduled.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for Illinois on
Q: 17 year old son wants to live with his mom now, I am in IL/ mom is in WI- case was in WI

He is upset at me for showing up at his mom's house at midnight after his location previously indicated he wasn't there/was turned off and he wouldn't answer my phone calls/text messages. He said he was at a friends' house. The issue I have is that he's driving my truck... View More

Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on May 27, 2024

Sounds like you need to take the truck privileges away. If he goes to his mom, she can provide him with a car or sign this one over to her so it's not your problem when you can't supervise him and he ends up in a bad accident. Is he going to go to school there? Does mom want him full... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for Illinois on
Q: I need to obtain emergency guardianship of a 17 year old minor (my niece) in the state of Illinois. What do I do?

The child has been neglected and kicked out of the home. The parent is threatening suicide. The minor is staying with a friend. I do have texts proving the neglect.

James G. Ahlberg
James G. Ahlberg
answered on May 14, 2024

Contact an attorney practicing family law in the Illinois county in which either your niece or her parent is located. He or she can give you detailed advice based on the exact circumstances of the situation.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law, Child Custody and Juvenile Law for Illinois on
Q: I'm trying to gain guardianship of my grandchildren from dcfs they told me I couldn't get them but wouldn't tell me why

I watch them everyday while foster mom is at work and school so I don't understand if I can watch them all day why can't I get them out of custody makes no sense

Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on Apr 18, 2024

Nobody here can give you the answer because we don't know why.

Whenever I have a client with these issues they have to hire me to determine why. That's all I can tell them. Dcfs usually does tell me why but they rarely change their minds.

1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody for Illinois on
Q: My friend recently had a dcfs case against her in which her children were removed from her home.

The case has since been deemed unfounded by dcfs but her children have not been returned to her custody. Can they do this? What recourse does she have. She lives in Piatt County, Illinois.

Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on Apr 3, 2024

I cannot give a thoughtful answer as I do not have enough facts. She needs a lawyer who works on DCFS cases to get involved immediately.

3 Answers | Asked in Family Law, Adoption and Child Custody for Illinois on
Q: if my parents are getting evicted and dont have somewhere to go but i do, do they have the right to make me homeless

my parents are moving in with my grandma into a small bedroom and dont have room for me (17) or my brother (16) but my sister will let us move in so were not homeless do my parents have any rights to tell me no even if i would be homeless due to the situation

Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on Mar 31, 2024

Yes. Until you are 18 your parents have control over you. They can decide you live at grandma's on the couch or floor, that all of you go to a homeless shelter or wherever it may be absent filth, bugs or feces.

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1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody, Child Support and Divorce for Illinois on
Q: My divorce attorney is going to hire my ex wife Less than a year after my divorce is there anything wrong with this?

If I were to use him to get bring her back for custody issues would this not be some kind of client confidentiality issues?

Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on Mar 26, 2024

Your question is not clear. Your divorce attorney is going to hire your ex wife. For what?

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law, Child Custody and Child Support for Illinois on
Q: So I have two children with my ex and he recently took me to court for visitation but he doesn’t help me financially

With them but he has a lawyer they want us to do a modification but he’s jobless and homeless at the moment and the judge just wants us to do the modification but I really don’t want him to take them because he isn’t stable what can i do because I feel like because he has a lawyer they really... View More

Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on Mar 26, 2024

File a response to his petition. Put your concerns in there.

1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody and Family Law for Illinois on
Q: Could I submit videos of assault into a pending case (custody case) against a mother? I’m a son of hers.

Hello I’m currently living in Illinois and wondered if there’s anything I can do to take away my half related brother from my mother she has half custody and is in a court battle with her biological father over the weekend she forced herself on top of me and hit me and tried removing my cellar... View More

Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on Mar 3, 2024

You can talk to the person who filed the case against the mother and ask if he is ok with you talking to his lawyer.

1 Answer | Asked in Tax Law, Family Law, Child Custody and Child Support for Illinois on
Q: My ex is threatening with charging me income tax for claiming my son. Can he do this?

I have been separated from my son’s father for over a year. Never married. No court order for parenting time or child support. He always claimed our son on income tax returns. This year I claimed our son. My son’s father had his W4 setup to claim 1 and is telling me he’s going to charge me... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Feb 28, 2024

In situations involving tax claims on dependents, the right to claim a child on a tax return typically depends on IRS rules concerning custodial and non-custodial parents. If you have provided the majority of the support for your son and he has lived with you for more than half of the year, you... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for Illinois on
Q: Our 15 yr old granddaugh. wants to move in with us, currently with mom. She's in Missouri we are in Illinois

There has been drug use, neglect, mental and verbal abuse. Dad not in picture, just got out of prison for domestic. Moms last boyfriend is currently in prison due to domestic. We know at 16 she can get emancipated but is there anything we can do now since she just turned 15? We thought about... View More

Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on Feb 19, 2024

I do not know what MO Law is. IL law requires that you sue where the child is living, so you need to hire a MO lawyer.

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