When Oneida County parents go through divorce, they may worry about the logistics of their child custody arrangements. Particularly, they may have concerns about the schedules they and their kids will have to keep to meet the requirements of their court mandated orders. However, though the physical custody requirements can try on the calendars of parents and children, child custody requirements can also create challenges for adults and their offspring.
Child custody relates to the ability of one or both parents to make important choices about the lives of their children. In particular, a parent who has child custody of his children can have a say in where and how his kids are educated, as well as if and how the children receive medical care. The decision of whether to have a child follow a particular religion is also within the purview of a parent with legal custody. Many other important life choices can be made by parents who have these rights over their kids.
Like physical custody, legal custody can be shared between the children’s parents. In such child custody situations, the parents must consult with each other about these important decisions and must agree before actions can be taken with regard to their kids. But, child custody can also be granted to only one of the parents, and in these situations that parent is said to have sole legal custody of his children.
When a court creates a child custody order, it decides not only where a child will spend his time, but also who will have decision making power over his life. Child or legal custody is an important right and responsibility for a parent who separates from or divorces the child’s other parent. To learn more about legal custody and other child custody issues, readers are encouraged to contact their family law attorneys.