Father's Rights Illinois - PLEASE Help!

[MarcJacobsx]

Does anyone know of an attorney willing to help a father who is currently a student trying to get partial custody of his daughter as well as establishing set child support? Please none of that 1-800-Dial A Lawyer Crap. That's all we get when we go in to receive documents from the court house...

Also, is it legal for the mother of this child to demand the father do certain things (such as not have anyone over when the baby is there) while she can do whatever she pleases? Can this be used in court?

Also, is it legal for the mother of this child to demand HER parents handle the child's visitation with the father rather than be mature and handle it on her own...

Also, any single father's out there going through this that recommend advice?

It is a tough situation with a very emotionally unstable mother of the child...

*YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A LAYWER. ANY ADVICE OR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WILL SUFFICE!

[illinois_lawyer]

You probably need to speak with a lawyer about this, since I doubt you want to disclose all the gory details of your situation publicly. With that being said, it is difficult to advise you because we don't know the details. It would be helpful to know:

(1) Has there been allegations of dad associating with people that might threaten the safety of the child? Drugs? Alcohol? Weapons? Unwholesome or unsavory visitors? These are the kinds of factors that would lead to such an arrangement. And yes, the court has broad authority to put conditions on visitation as long as they are in the best interests of the child.

(2) How old are the parents? How old is the child? Who has primary custody of the child? Are the parents single, married, divorced? If the parents were not married at the time the child was born, was dad on the birth certificate, or did he sign a voluntary acknowledgement of paternity?

A few final bits of advice. It's going to be expensive--custody battles are ugly and costly. It's going to be a long process--expect to go to mediation to try to work things out, if that fails expect numerous court dates and hearings. The best things you can do for yourself are have a job, pay your child support if you are ordered to do so, provide a clean, comfortable, safe and drug-free place for the child to stay, and always be respectful towards the judge.