04/24/2026
Don’t “go it alone” in family court mediation. ⚖️🧑🧑🧒
If you are asserting or facing an adjudication of parental rights and parenting time in Cook County, IL, the parties will likely be ordered by the judge early in the case to participate in two sessions of non-binding family mediation with a neutral mediator. In the mediation, the mediator will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each parent’s positions in the case, with the hope of bringing the parties together to agree to a parenting plan. Lawyers are not permitted to be present during mediation, but can confer privately via phone with the client, if needed.
This service is provided by the county at low cost ($50) per party, and is aimed at facilitating an agreed parenting plan between the parties. When mediation is concluded, the mediator then informs the judge on the case if there is/is not an agreement between the parties. If not, the case will continue in court through discovery and potentially trial.
While the mediation process is designed to be “lawyer-free,” it is always advisable to have experienced family law counsel, like Paul R. Hale, LLC, on your side if you are involved in a parenting rights petition. Please feel free to give Paul Hale a call if you wish to discuss such case. 630 310 6866.
