What is decision-making authority?

What is decision-making authority?

Decision-making authority means the power to make important decisions regarding a child, including decisions regarding the child’s education, religious training, health care, extracurricular activities, and travel.

What does it mean to have full custody?

In most states, custody determinations are split between “legal custody” (decision-making authority) and “physical custody” (residence). Having both decision-making and residential rights is often referred to as “full custody.”

When does sole legal custody become the default?

In many states, sole legal custody is becoming less common unless joint legal custody is deemed unsafe for the child. As a result, joint legal custody —which means parents share in the decision-making 1  —is becoming the default decision in many family court systems. Here are the pros and cons of sole legal custody.

How does sole custody work in the real world?

In real world application, the parents make decisions regarding their child during the time that they have the child. This concept requires the parties to notify the other parent of doctor’s appointments, dentist appointments and educational issues.

Can a final judgment give a parent sole custody?

If there is a final judgment in place that provides a situation akin to sole custody, it is always in danger of a parent reopening the case for modification. No matter what the circumstance the courts always go back to the guiding principle: that both parents should be involved in the life of a child.

In many states, sole legal custody is becoming less common unless joint legal custody is deemed unsafe for the child. As a result, joint legal custody —which means parents share in the decision-making 1  —is becoming the default decision in many family court systems. Here are the pros and cons of sole legal custody.

What does it mean to have legal custody of a child?

Legal Custody. Legal custody of a child means having the right and the obligation to make decisions about a child’s upbringing. A parent with legal custody can make decisions about the child’s schooling, religious upbringing and medical care, for example.

In real world application, the parents make decisions regarding their child during the time that they have the child. This concept requires the parties to notify the other parent of doctor’s appointments, dentist appointments and educational issues.

Can a court award sole custody to a noncustodial parent?

However, in most states, courts are moving away from awarding sole custody to one parent and toward enlarging the role both parents play in their children’s lives. Even where courts do award sole physical custody, the parties often still share joint legal custody, and the noncustodial parent enjoys a generous visitation schedule.