Family & Safety
Parental responsibilities (custody and visitation)
The term "custody" is no longer used in the law. It is now called "parental responsibilities." This includes parenting time (formerly "visitation") and decision-making power. Our resources explain these issues.
Learn your rights (3 resources)
Explains how to get legal duties to make important decisions for a child and spend time with them. Formerly known as "custody" and "visitation."
Guide
Explains how to change who makes important decisions for a child if the judge has already granted a court order.
Guide
Explains how to get a court order forcing parents to let you spend time with a child that is not your own.
Guide
Forms (12 resources)
Use this form to ask the judge to give you parental responsibilities for a child. This includes parenting time (visitation) and decision-making power (custody).
Form download
A program to help you create a plan to set parental responsibilities and parenting time, including holidays and school breaks.
Easy Form
Use this form to change the allocation of parental responsibility or child support.
Form download
A program to help you create a Petition for Rule to Show Cause to help you enforce an earlier family law court order.
Easy Form
Other resources for the public (25 resources)
Steps to get parental responsibilities (formerly known as custody), from the forms you need to go to court.
How-To
Explains how to get legal duties to make important decisions for a child and spend time with them. Formerly known as "custody" and "visitation."
Guide
Explains how to write a document that says who will make decisions for a child and how those decisions will be made.
Text article
Explains what you need to do if you have an order for parental responsibilities and you want to move with the child.
Text article
Lawyer resources (4 resources)
Information on dissolution, divorce, common-law marriage, separation, child support, custody, and visitation.
Text article
A document for lawyers to reference that has important changes happening to the IMDMA and the Parentage Act in 2016, and child support in 2017.
Text article
Explains minors' rights, child protection mediation, pretrial and trial issues, dispositions, and termination of parental rights in Illinois. 2021 edition
IICLE