For child custody decisions, physical and legal custody need to be decided upon in order to ensure the child’s well-being. Sole custody may even be an outcome for these cases. Physical custody decides where the child will spend more time living per week. This parent will then be known as the custodial parent. They will have more time with their child on a weekly basis since the child will reside with them most of the time. However, the other party may have consistent access to the child and nights of their own where the child can stay with them in their home. The best of cases have shown parents working together to accommodate the child’s interests in any way possible. They also can work together to make sure that they are both receiving the time they need with their child to maintain a healthy relationship.

Legal custody allows parents the authority to make important decisions in a child’s life. These decisions can be related to matters of health, education, religion and general welfare of the child. A parent may lose physical custody, but still be able to obtain legal custody. Even if a parent loses physical custody of a child, they may be entitled to visitation rights and parenting time.

What factors can influence child custody arrangements?

When a judge decides on a child custody case, they make sure to take all factors into consideration. This is to protect the best interests of the child. Some factors can include the parent’s inclination to accept custody, the child’s safety, the child’s needs, any domestic abuse in the past, the distance between the parents’ homes, the relationship the child has with each parent, the preference the child has when of a sufficient age, the stability of each home life and the ability of the parent to act in the child’s best interests.

How is sole custody defined?

For sole custody arrangements, one parent is given physical and legal custody of the child. This is usually the case when one parent is deemed unfit. The other parent takes on more responsibility. The noncustodial parent may still be given visitation. This allows them to bond with their children during specific times. However, they may not be involved in important decisions for their child.

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