What criteria does a court consider in awarding custody?
Any criteria or factor that could help the court determine what is in the best interest of the minor child will be considered by the court since this is the standard for custody determination under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act and the Parentage Act. These factors include but are not limited to: • The wishes of the child’s parent or parents as to his custody; • The wishes of the child as to his or her preferred custodian; • The interaction and interrelationship of the child with his parent or parents, his siblings and any other person who may significantly affect the child’s best interest; • The child’s adjustment to his home, school and community; • The mental and physical health of all individuals involved; • The physical violence or threat of physical violence by the child’s potential custodian, whether directed against the child or directed against another person; • The occurrence of ongoing abuse as defined in Section 103 of the Illinois Domestic Violence A
