Illinois courts take visitation abuse very seriously. Visitation abuse may occur when a parent intentionally and for no justifiable reason denies the other parent visitation as set forth in an entered court order. Visitation abuse may also occur when a parent exercises his or her visitation rights in a manner that is harmful to the child or the child’s custodian. If a court finds after an evidentiary hearing that visitation abuse has taken place, there are many forms of relief that the court can provide to the wronged party. The court can modify the visitation order to either specify visitation periods or to restrict visitation. It can order that visitation be supervised. The court can order make up visitation that is equal to the withheld visitation. It may also order the parents to attend counseling or mediation, unless domestic violence has occurred. The court also has the freedom to order any other relief that it believes is fair. If a parent believes that visitation abuse is occurring, he or she can file a petition with the court to enforce his or her visitation rights. The court holds hearings on visitation abuse petitions more quickly than other matters. The wronged party may even be able to recover the attorneys’ fees he or she incurred as a result of having to file a visitation abuse petition.
Order of Protection for Domestic Violence
Unfortunately, some Chicago divorces or Chicago child custody disputes involve domestic violence. When domestic violence, or the threat of domestic violence, occurs a victim may petition the court for an order of protection. An order of protection is a court order...