When it comes to divorce, there are many important decisions to be made. Child custody is certainly one of the most contentious and important matters that must be decided on. Unfortunately, determining child custody is not always a straightforward process, which is why it is important to speak with a child custody attorney in Los Angeles to protect you and your child’s best interests.
In order to know and do what is best for your child, it is important to understand the difference between physical custody and legal custody in California.
Physical Custody
Physical custody is referred to as which parent the child lives with. If the child lives with a parent full-time, then that parent has sole physical custody. However, if the child splits his or her time between the parents, then the parents have joint physical custody. Keep in mind that joint physical custody doesn’t mean that the parents have to have an exact 50-50 time split.
Legal Custody
Legal custody, on the other hand, refers to the parent who makes the important decisions for the child, which include schooling, extracurricular activities, discipline, health care, and religion. When it comes to legal custody, there are two options, which are sole legal custody or joint legal custody. Sole legal custody means that one parent holds responsibility and rights to these decisions and joint legal custody means that both parents share responsibilities and rights to these decisions.
Child custody can be very complex and it is important to do what is best for your child. If you are facing divorce and you and your ex-spouse cannot come to an agreement on child custody, then it is best to consult with a child custody lawyer in Los Angeles to protect you and your child’s best interests. Our team at LLM Family Law has extensive experience in helping families every step of the way. Contact our team to speak with a Los Angeles child custody attorney.
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