Family law attorneys specialize in areas of the law dealing with family relations, including divorce, child custody, child support, and adoption. If you’re in the process of dissolving a marriage, a lawyer can help you understand your rights and responsibilities if you have minor children. In Louisiana, the courts encourage co-parents to work cooperatively to propose custody arrangements that are reasonable and respectful of the child’s best interest. When divorcing or separating spouses agree to divide legal responsibilities and physical custody, a court may sanction either a shared or joint custody arrangement. Here’s a brief guide that outlines the differences between the two.

What Is Shared Custody?

In a shared custody arrangement, the time both parents spend with children is equal, and the legal authority to make decisions for them is collaborative. Therefore, the communication between the parents must be open and without rancor, and they must live relatively close to one another. A court won’t approve an arrangement to share custody if the distance between their residences is too remote.

Sharing legal responsibility for children requires parents to act as partners, agreeing to decisions that determine how they will be educated, which church they will attend, and how their medical needs will be met. If the income earned by one parent exceeds that of the other, the court may issue a child support order to cover food, shelter, schooling, and related costs.

What Is Joint Custody?

Unlike shared custody, parents with a joint custody arrangement don’t spend equal amounts of time with their children. They will, however, have equal rights when making legal decisions about their children’s care and welfare.

When parents share joint custody, one usually retains primary physical custody of the children while the other has established visitation rights. They agree to a schedule that outlines which days and months of the years a child will reside with the custodial parent. The noncustodial parent, for example, may drive a child to football practice every day and have them every other weekend. Also, a joint custody arrangement apportions holidays and birthdays to each parent as well as summer vacations.

Are Child Custody Arrangements Modifiable?

Parents may seek to modify an arrangement if they experience a change in circumstances. A new job or a new marriage may warrant a change in a child custody agreement. However, if parents don’t mutually agree to modify an arrangement, a court may disallow any changes.

If you and your spouse have decided to seek a divorce or separation, contact J.P. Coleman Law, LLC, Attorneys at Law. From their office in Metairie, LA, they help protect the rights of parents in child custody disputes in New Orleans and surrounding communities. Visit them online to learn about the capabilities of this trusted and responsive legal practice, or call (251) 947-6247 to schedule a consultation about divorce, custody, alimony, child support, or adoption proceedings.