If you decide to divorce and have a child with your soon-to-be former spouse, you probably want to learn as much as you can about custody.
One of your biggest fears is losing your right to spend time with your child in the future. While sole custody isn’t common, you should learn more about this as your divorce moves forward.
Generally speaking, sole custody is when one parent has exclusive legal and physical custody rights.
Sole legal custody gives one parent the right to make all major decisions regarding the child’s life, including but not limited to medical care, education and religion.
Sole physical custody means that the child will reside with one parent, with the other potentially receiving visitation rights, as outlined by the court.
Some people believe that sole custody would be best for them, as they have reason to believe that their ex-spouse is unfit to raise their child.
Others, however, come to find that sole custody is not the right answer, as it can limit the amount of time that the child spends with one of his or her parents.
The more you know about sole custody, the easier it is to make key decisions during the divorce process.
If your divorce ends up in court, the judge will make final decisions regarding child custody. He or she will do so based on what is best for the child, not the parents. The best thing you can do is understand the finer details of sole custody, as to avoid a situation that catches you by surprise.
Source: FindLaw, “Sole Custody,” accessed Aug. 29, 2017