Child custody is one of the most important issues in any family, and it’s not always easy to determine which state is best for the child. Each state has its own laws and guidelines governing how custody should be split between parents, so figuring out which rule applies to your specific situation is something you’ll need to do on your own.
You should hire an experienced Birmingham AL contested divorce attorney if you want to get custody of your child. A divorce attorney can look at the different situations and determine whether you should pursue joint custody, shared custody, or sole custody. You can make the best decision for your child’s well-being with the help of an experienced divorce attorney.
We will now look more into different types of child custody.
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Legal custody
Legal custody refers to the right of a parent to make important decisions regarding his or her child including where they go to school, religious training, and health care. This type of child custody usually is granted only to one of the parents, although this is not always the case.
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Physical custody
Physical custody concerns which parent the child lives with on a day-to-day basis. Typically, courts prefer that both parents have joint physical custody over sole physical custody so that the child can spend equal amounts of time with both parents.
If you want full physical custody of your child, you will need to show why shared physical custody would be harmful to your child and why you are a better fit than your spouse as a single custodial parent.
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Sole custody
Sole custody is when a parent gets full physical and legal custody of a child. This means that the child will only spend time with the non-custodial parent. A court may award sole custody if the other parent poses a danger to the child’s safety and well-being, or if there has been substance abuse present in one of the parents. If you choose to pursue sole custody, you should be prepared to show what led you to believe that shared custody will be harmful to your child.
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Joint custody
Joint custody is when both parents share the responsibility of raising their children. This may mean that the child’s primary residence is with one parent, but that both parents have custodial rights over the other. This type of custody arrangement is typically best for a child, as they will spend quality time with both parents and also have a safe place to live.
