Types of custody arrangements
There are 4 types of custody arrangements:
- Sole legal custody — One parent has the right and responsibility to make major decisions about the child, including ones about education, medical care, religion, and emotional development.
- Shared legal custody — All parents are involved in and responsible for major decisions about the child, including ones about education, medical care, and emotional, moral, and religious development.
- Sole physical custody — A child lives with one parent and the other parent(s) has reasonable parenting time, unless the court decides that parenting time wouldn't be in the child’s best interest.
- Shared physical custody — A child has periods when they live with each parent, so they have frequent, regular contact with both parents.
Additional Resources
What's the difference between child custody and parenting time?
Parenting time lets a parent who doesn't have primary physical custody spend time with or visit their child. The parents’ court-approved agreement says where the visits will happen and for how long, and whether or not the visits need to be supervised by another adult. If the parents can't agree on terms, the court will decide.