Are you going through the divorce process? Are you concerned about the impact this will have on your life, such as your relationship with your child or children?
It’s important to familiarize yourself with the many types of child custody, as this will help you make informed and confident decisions as the process moves forward.
Before we go any further, here’s something you always need to remember: The court is going to make decisions based on what is best for your child. You should get on board with the idea that there is nothing more important than the future well-being of your child.
Sole custody or joint custody
Generally speaking, you will soon find that the court awards sole custody or joint custody.
Sole custody is not common, as this is when one parent has both physical and legal custody of the child. This means that he or she is responsible for all aspects of raising the child. With this arrangement, the non-custodial parent may have visitation rights.
Joint custody is much more common, as this is when both parents work together to raise the child, despite the fact that they are no longer married.
What is legal custody?
When a parent has legal custody of a child, it means that he or she is in position to make important decisions on behalf of the child.
These decisions can pertain to things such a health, education, religion and extracurricular activities.
In the event of joint legal custody, both parents work together to make the best decisions with respect to raising the child.
What about physical custody?
Physical custody is all about where the child will live. So, if the child is living in your home full time, it means that you have physical custody.
It’s common for one parent to have sole physical custody, while the other has visitation rights.
Although you may be familiar with the finer details of each type of child custody, it doesn’t mean you won’t run into trouble. It’s important to prepare yourself for everything, so you can make the decisions that are best for both you and your child.