Physical custody rights determine where a child is going to live, but legal custody rights deal with making decisions for the child. These are typically the types of things that parents will address together during a marriage, and shared legal custody means that they still have to work together. However, one parent could also be given sole legal custody after a divorce, meaning they can make decisions on their own.
What types of decisions are parents making in this case? There can be a wide variety, but three of the main areas are listed below.
1. Educational opportunities
To begin with, as a child grows older, they may have to be enrolled in school or transferred to a new school, such as an elementary student who is starting middle school. Parents can decide what school the child will attend and what type of education they’re going to receive.
2. Medical decisions
Next, parents have to make decisions about medical care, dental care and the like. They may have to decide if a child should get braces or not, or they may have to authorize certain surgeries or treatments. When children are very young, parents must agree on what types of vaccinations to give them.
3. Religious instruction
Finally, for religious parents, they may decide what type of religion they want their child to be exposed to or brought up in. This can be a source of conflict, especially if both parents practice different religions and would prefer that the child be exposed to only one.
When conflicts arise, or when defining legal custody rights during a divorce, it’s crucial that parents understand all of their legal options.