Divorce, Children, And Religion

 Posted on November 18, 2012 in Divorce

In modern times, people have differed from the traditional ways of doing things. One of these differences is the connection between marriage and religion. Nowadays, it is not uncommon to marry someone who does not share your religious views. This might not be a problem when you are happily married, but especially if you have children, this can cause issues in case of a divorce. The Chicago Tribune did a story about a legal battle over a child's religion a few years back. In the Tribune story, a woman found out via email that her 3-year-old had been baptized in a Catholic church, even though the parents had agreed to raise her in the Jewish faith. This led to a legal battle that brought their private issue into the open and raised the question of how far courts should go in dictating religious issues. After the father had the child baptized without notifying the mother in advance, a Cook County Circuit Court judge made an unusual decision of forbidding the father of the child from exposing the child to any other religion than Judaism. The father allegedly defied the order by taking her daughter to mass. The wife demanded the father to be held in criminal contempt, which could lead to up to six months in jail. When a dispute like this is taken to court, the court has to consider the situation from multiple points of view. Even though the First Amendment gives the parent the right to free exercise of religion and raising their child as they see fit, the courts must protect the best interest of the child too. One parent's complaints over the other's religious activities and whether they are suitable for the child are not an easy issue for courts to settle. Divorce is always emotionally demanding, which is why it is important to get skilled legal help. If you are planning to file for divorce or going through one, get a dedicated divorce attorney to aid you. Our experienced Kane County, Illinois divorce attorneys can make your divorce proceedings a little easier for you, so contact our offices today.