I live in Illinois and the divorce will most likely process through Cook county or mchenry county. I don’t have a lawyer and don’t know where to begin researching good father’s rights attorneys. All my life I’ve heard about how the court system is ridiculously skewed in favor of the mothers right off the bat.. is that still true? I have evidence of her cheating throughout the entirety of our relationship for the most part (evidence I got well after the fact) but I know Illinois is a no fault state so will that even assist me in court?

We have 2 kids (8 and 7 years old) and that’s going to be the ugliest part about all of this. She’s changed our arrangement several times without talking to me about it for when we get the kids as well as kept me in the dark about things concerning medical treatments and appointments being made. She’s fought me more recently on giving me the kids even on our agreed upon days but since theirs no child custody agreement in place through the courts I’ve been told I basically have zero rights until there is. I feel lost, helpless, and defeated. I feel like the battle is already lost before it’s even begun just because I’m a father.

Living arrangement wise they have their own bedroom with me whereas they share a bed with each other at her place and share the same room with her. There’s much more space with me as opposed to her place. They’ve been going to school in the district I live in and will now be changed to her district. I don’t want to lose my kids or my ability to spend time with them. I also don’t want to lose my replace in their lives as a decision maker because their mom has already been doing her best to keep me out of decision making with her as it stands. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciate. Thanks in advance!