As any family law attorney will attest, child custody is complicated and confusing for many people. There are multiple types of child custody, and parents care share custody or have more than one kind. Here’s an introduction to the subject to help you better understand child custody possibilities.

Your Guide to Child Custody

Physical Vs. Legal Custody

Physical custody is what many people think of when they hear the word "custody" with regard to children. When you have physical custody, the child lives with you, and you have the right and responsibility to provide for the child's daily care and welfare. Often, one parent—the custodial parent—has the child most of the time while the other parent receives visitation rights—or the right to spend time with the child, either overnight or not.

On the other hand, legal custody means you have the right to make decisions about the child's long-term welfare. These include educational, medical/dental, and religious instruction. One parent may have legal custody, or both parents may share it. Similarly, one parent may have physical custody while both parents share legal custody.

Joint Vs. Sole Custody

When you have sole physical and legal custody of your child, you don’t share them with another parent. You must, therefore, shoulder all decision-making, care, and responsibility alone. Joint custody means that both parents have designated times to spend with your child. The child will live at your home during this time, whether it’s on the weekends or certain days of the week.

Grandparent Visitation

Since the courts place the child's welfare at the center of any custody dispute, they often award grandparents visitation rights, or sometimes physical custody. Courts usually feel it is important that kids have a relationship with their grandparents, even if the custodial parent disagrees. Judges look at the strength of the relationship, the distance between the grandparents and the child, any history of abuse by parents or grandparents, the wishes of all parties, and more.

If you need an attorney to help you arrange for custody of your child, contact Cheryl A Beverson, Attorney At Law in Middletown, NY. Cheryl A. Beverson is an experienced family law and divorce attorney with more than 20 years of experience serving Orange County clients. She and her team also specialize in living wills, evictions, and traffic violations. Visit their website to contact them for assistance or call them at (845) 341-0008 to arrange a free consultation.