Illinois

The rights of fathers in Illinois are established by laws to give dads equal opportunities with their children. Your rights relate to paternity, custody and child support.

Paternity: Fathers rights in Illinois begin with the right to demand a paternity test to prove that you are the father of the child. Once your paternity is established, you can pursue the rest of your legal rights.

Custody: You may pursue legal and physical custody of your children. This can be sole physical custody, joint custody or the protection of ongoing, consistent visitation with your children. Even without physical custody, legal custody allows you a role in making decisions about the childrens education, lifestyle, religious upbringing, medical care and more.

Child Support: The rights of fathers in Illinois are virtually the same as the rights of mothers. This extends to child support. If you have sole or joint custody of your children, you have the right to seek child support from the mother. The court will order a financial evaluation of both parents to establish the amount of child support to be provided.

These are your Illinois fathers rights. If you need help in securing them, contact a lawyer with expertise in protecting the rights of fathers to be a central part of their childrens lives.