Child Custody

 Child Custody : What is it?

Ruling of a court that determines who should have physical and/or legal control of a minor under eighteen years old.

Divorce can be especially hard on children. As a result, it is important to resolve child custody issues as soon as possible. Determining what types of custody and/or visitation rights are appropriate can be difficult, and consulting a family law attorney can aid compliance with child custody laws.

There are four types of child custody:

• Legal Custody - The right of a parent to make decisions about a child's upbringing
• Physical Custody - The right of a parent to have the child live with him or her
• Sole Custody - One parent has both legal and physical custody of a child
• Joint Custody - Both parents share legal custody, physical custody, or both

If either parent is unable to care for a child, a grandparent or other relative may be awarded custody.

For more detailed information on the types of child custody and how custody is determined, contact a family lawyer today.

Those parents who are not awarded physical custody of their children may be entitled to visitation rights. There are three types of child visitation:

• Reasonable Visitation - This form of child visitation involves reasonable times and places that are determined by both parents.
• Fixed Visitation - The court orders times and places for child visitation.
• Supervised Visitation - An adult supervisor must be present during visitation.

In addition to the non-custodial parent being awarded visitation rights, there has been precedent for grandparents being awarded child visitation. This issue is still hotly debated in the legal community.

If you or someone you love is going through a child custody battle, you may want to contact a divorce attorney for more information.

More reading on Child Custody at:

• More statistics on child custody
• Child Custody Information

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