A Joint Parenting Agreement is a child custody and parenting agreement that was commonly entered into by parents prior to January 1, 2016. A Joint Parenting Agreement, referred to as a JPA, would set forth joint v. sole legal custody, the primary custodial parent and the visitation schedule of the non-primary custodial parent. As of January 1, 2016, “Joint Parenting Agreements” are no longer accepted by Illinois courts as appropriate for dealing with children’s parenting issues. Beginning January 1, 2016, Illinois law requires an Allocation Judgment for dealing with parenting issues. What was formerly visitation and child custody, is now simply parenting time. An Allocation Judgment awards each parent “parenting time” as well as “parenting responsibilities.”
Although the law changed to no longer utilize Joint Parenting Agreements, this does not mean that a Joint Parenting Agreement entered into prior to January 1, 2016 is no longer valid. Joint Parenting Agreements entered before January 1, 2018 are still valid and enforceable.