While many parents would like to be able to simply end their ex’s right to be in their children’s lives, it is not possible in Illinois to do so unilaterally. Terminating a parent’s rights in Illinois is a process that requires the involvement of both parents in most cases, and in some situations, it can get extraordinarily complex. It is imperative, for the sake of your children, to ensure you understand the process before trying to assert your parental rights over those of their current caregivers.
When Can Rights Be Terminated?
In Illinois, there are very limited occasions on which a parent’s rights may be terminated. According to current law, there are only two: either in a case under the Adoption Act or in a juvenile court case. This may seem extreme, but Illinois legislators and courts have been firm in asserting that children benefit more from having both parents in their lives, unless the parent has been convicted of offenses that would signify their posing a danger to the child in question.