As of 2018, about one in four couples with one or more children were unmarried. There is simply less societal pressure for younger people to marry than there once was. Yet unmarried couples are still having children, which begs the question of whether unmarried parents have the same rights and responsibilities as married parents – or married parents going through a divorce.
When parents are unmarried, there may be questions and issues surrounding paternity, as well as questions regarding the allocation of parental responsibilities (custody), parenting time, and child support. Illinois automatically recognizes paternity if the mother and father are married, but the same is not true when they are not married. If you have questions or issues related to your rights and responsibilities as an unmarried parent, it can be extremely helpful to speak to an experienced Wheaton, IL family law attorney.