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4 Types of Child Custody and How They Work


— September 2, 2022

Sole custody means they favor one of the parents, allowing them full autonomy to decide their children’s future without being concerned about the other parent’s wishes.


When getting a divorce, as a parent, you need to understand that this process can profoundly impact your children’s health and happiness. Not being able to live with their parents is already hard, so they don’t need extra pressure.

Once the parents have decided to end their marriage, the court decides who gets the children and how the custody will be shared. If you’re in this situation, this article will explain the four types of child custody in the US, focusing mainly on the state of Arizona and how they work.

Legal Custody

The first type of child custody is legal custody. Here, the court decides which parent deserves to have legal custody of the child. Additionally, this is helpful for the child’s future, which is given to either or both parents.

Legal custody includes deciding where the child has to live, which school to attend, which hospital to be treated, or which religion to pursue. Usually, the court orders joint legal custody where both parents are responsible for shaping their child’s future. However, suppose there are cases when one of the parents isn’t complying with these rules. In that case, the other parent should seek legal help from experienced lawyers to help solve this issue peacefully.

Physical Custody

Physical custody is similar to legal custody in that they have the child’s best interest. This type of custody means being physically present with the child while growing up, hence the name. Rarely, this custody is shared between the two parents equally, but usually, one parent gets a more significant share of the physical custody.

If one of the parents is involved in criminal offenses or child, substance, or wife abuse are unlikely to get awarded physical custody. That’s why it’s recommended to reach a child custody lawyer depending on the state you live. For example, if you happen to live in Arizona, you should contact Phoenix Custody Lawyers, and they will guide you each step along the way.

Joint Custody

Children swinging
Children swinging; image courtesy of tookapic via Pixabay, www.pixabay.com

As mentioned, both legal and physical custody is shared among the parents, also known as joint custody. This type of custody means both parents are present in their children’s lives physically and emotionally, and it’s most common when the child is small. Apart from that, the parents need to be present according to their allocated times and be able to consult with one another in making decisions about their child’s future.

Sole Custody

You’ve heard of joint custody, where the parents are equally involved in their children’s lives, but what about when there are limitations to one parent? That’s called sole custody, as the court orders one of the parents to be fully present while the other has limited visitation rights.

Also, sole custody means they favor one of the parents, allowing them full autonomy to decide their children’s future without being concerned about the other parent’s wishes. If you need help with your divorce and child custody case, you can contact Phoenix Divorce Lawyers to help you deal with your divorce and custody issues.

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