Joint custody is very similar in that there is a custodial and non-custodial parent and there is child support and frequent visitation. The primary difference is that there is a joint decision making process regarding the major decisions in caring for the child. Things such as what school or church to attend and what medical treatment shall be undertaken are decisions for the parents to make together. The parents have equal access to the child's school and medical records and must stay in relatively close communication regarding the child's life. This is obviously a very brief overview of a very large part of the law as it pertains to divorce and custody.
Every case is different and there are exceptions to every rule.
Divorce is the nastiest area of the law because emotions are so intense and the stress and fear are immeasurable. An estranged spouse will say anything to hurt you or to scare you including threatening to take your kids away or leaving you with no financial stability. Fortunately, Illinois law has evolved greatly over the past 20 years. There is rarely a case where anyone is left penniless or is deprived of the right to see their children on a regular basis. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule and those cases do occur.