When parents get divorced, they often divide physical custody. They will set up a schedule where they will both be in charge of the child at separate times, living with them and participating in raising the child.
At the same time, however, they will have to address legal custody rights, which are much different than the aforementioned physical custody rights. No matter where the child lives, parents have to make important decisions on their behalf. Your legal custody rights define whether or not you get to be involved in that decision-making process.
Common areas to consider
Legal custody generally addresses major decisions, and some common examples include:
- Enrolling the child in school
- Authorizing dental care or medical care
- Choosing the child’s religious instruction or affiliation
In some cases, the court will give legal custody rights to just one parent. If you have sole custody rights in this area, you can make all of these decisions on your own.
But in many cases, the court will split both physical and legal custody rights between both parents. This means that both you and your ex need to work together to make important decisions about education and more. If you do not agree, you need to work to find a compromise, because neither one of you has the right to make these decisions on your own.
Naturally, this can make your situation fairly complex after divorce, especially if there are numerous conflicts over what decisions should be made. If you find yourself in this position, be sure you understand your legal custody rights and all of the options at your disposal.
