Many people in Rockford and throughout Illinois may need to move over the summer. Parents, whether married or not, may need to move their families for a number of reasons. For instance, a parent may have a better job opportunity or may need to move to be closer to other relatives. In some instances, a parent may even want to relocate to get out of an abusive situation.
As previous posts here have discussed, Illinois has laws that require parents who are living in separate homes to follow certain procedures when they need to move. Basically, a parent who has 50% or more of the parenting time allocated will need to give the other parent advance notice of the impending move. The notice must be given at least 60 days in advance of the move, if that is possible, and the notice must also provide the new address as well as how long the move will last.
If the other parent opts to sign the notice, then the parent may move. However, the parents may still need to work out a new allocation of parental responsibilities and have it reviewed by the judge. The other parent can formally object to the parent’s decision to move, in which case the judge hearing the case will hold a further hearing on whether or not to allow the move. At that hearing, the parent wanting to move is going to need to show how the move is in the best interest of the child involved. In this respect, the judge is supposed to consider a number of factors when making a decision.
Parents in Illinois who need to move will need to go through some legal hurdles and may need to present evidence explaining the reasons for the move. For this reason, it is a good idea to get more detailed information about the unique aspects of the applicable child custody laws.