Legal custody revolves around a parent’s ability to make decisions for their child, making it starkly different from physical custody. Often, both need to be divided during a divorce.
It is important for parents in Michigan to consider the difference because many people just think of physical custody when considering their custody rights. They may either be trying to seek sole custody, so that the child lives with them all the time, or pursuing joint custody so that there is a more balanced schedule between parents.
While this physical custody schedule is important, legal custody rights are equally valuable and must be understood.
What decisions must parents make?
The types of decisions governed by legal custody rights are those that can have a significant impact on a child’s life. Examples can include:
- Healthcare and medical decisions
- Educational decisions, such as enrolling the child in school
- Religious decisions and determining what religion the child will be exposed to
Legal custody rights must be defined because parents may not always see eye to eye.
One parent may believe that a certain type of medical care is necessary while the other does not, for example. If the parents share legal custody rights, then they have an obligation to work together and compromise, and neither parent can independently make that decision. But if one parent has sole legal custody rights, then they can make the decision on their own.
Whether you are going through a divorce and splitting up custody rights or addressing a dispute or disagreement, it is important to know exactly what legal options you have.