Divorce, Delinquency and an Experienced Illinois Family Law Attorney

 Posted on March 12, 2014 in Divorce

Today's pace wreaks havoc on our already overloaded schedules. We work, we shop, we cook, we carpool, we do homework, we do housework, we shuttle our kids to sport practices we do, we do, the list goes on and on and on.

We rely on the trusty refrigerator calendar to keep track of every appointment. We do our best to keep close tabs on our children, especially our teenagers. This can be especially difficult if we're co-parenting after  a divorce.

For those families residing in Illinois, juvenile curfew laws remain on the books. The Illinois Child Curfew Act (720 ILCS 555) mandates that any juvenile (17 years and under) must return to their residence before the end of the specified curfew hour. Reinforce with your teen that taking a slight detour or briefly stopping by a friend's house is an excuse that probably will not satisfy the local authorities. The Act further states that once the juvenile returns home they must remain at their residence until the end of the specified curfew. Sneaking out the bedroom window for a rendezvous with friends is not a viable option.

When scheduling this discussion with your pre or older teen, touch on these points as they relate to Illinois juvenile law to ensure that they completely understand the possible legal ramifications if they would decide to test the limits of the Illinois Curfew Act:

The Cinderella Story

If you are of an earlier generation you may remember your parents mentioning that staying out past midnight only leads to trouble. In Illinois, the curfew does permit a bit more freedom on the weekends with curfew ending at 12:01 am, not 12:02 or 12:15 am. During the week all teens are required to be home from 11:00 pm to 6 am.

Further explain to your teen that even if they are 16 years and 364 days of age they are still legally a juvenile. They are prohibited to be present at any public building or on neighborhood  streets during the hours of the enforceable curfew.

Testing the Waters

Remind your teen if they decide to stay in public after curfew they are breaking the law. They can be stopped by law enforcement and may be driven home by the officer, citation in hand. In Illinois, citations for breaking curfew can range anywhere from $10 to $500. Parents of the juvenile can also be found in violation of the curfew laws by not ensuring that their teen is at home during curfew hours.

Sounds easy, just a brief conversation. Not so if you are a divorced parent with a teen on the verge of juvenile delinquency. Your teen is not only breaking curfew, but becoming involved in midnight activities that your parents warned you about. To make matters worse, you just received word that your ex spouse is threatening court modification to your custody agreement which could result in suspension or even termination of your right to custody.

It may be time to schedule an appointment with an experienced Illinois family law attorney.

The legal team at The Law Offices of Douglas B. Warlick & Associates can help with getting you and your teen back on schedule. As a Geneva juvenile attorney, Douglas Warlick can represent your teen to ensure that his or her constitutional rights are protected as well as offering you assistance with the types of programs available through the Division of Juvenile Probation and Detention Services of Illinois.

Once you are confident that your teen is resolving past issues, Attorney Warlick can also discuss your options and legal rights with regard to your ex spouse's plans to petition the court for modification to your child custody agreement. You do not have a moment to spare. As a parent you want nothing more than to get all family members back on schedule. Contact us to schedule an initial consultation today.