Figuring out what type of child custody arrangement works for you, your children and the other parent is an understandably complicated equation. And that is when all the parties are getting along! Often one of the most contentious areas of family law, working with an experienced child custody attorney can help get you the arrangement you want without having to constantly go back to court. Dawes Legal can help.
There are a variety of child custody arrangements designed to reflect the different needs of the parents and children. Ultimately, the court in any child custody case is going to look to which arrangement is in the best interest of the child or children. Here’s a look at the different types of child custody arrangements in Ohio:
- Sole Custody: As the name implies, sole custody is the legal arrangement in which one parent has full legal custody of the child or children. If the other parent is missing or abusive, then this arrangement is the obvious option but there are many instances in which the court will decide this is the best arrangement even with the presence of the other parent.
- Joint Custody: When possible, courts do try to give children exposure to all parents– which is why some type of a joint custody arrangement is very popular in Ohio and the rest of the United States for divorced or unmarried parents.
- Legal Custody: Legal custody has to do with the major life decisions impacting a child. Some of these decisions include: religious upbringing, medical care and education. Legal custody can fall under one parent (sole legal custody) or more commonly under both parents (joint legal custody).
- Physical Custody: Physical custody has to do with where the child physically is and the arrangements made around where he or she sleeps and does other activities. Determining physical custody has to do with what is best for the child and also where the two parents are located in relation to each other. For instance, if two parents live in different states, physical custody will likely be given to one parent so that the child can have the consistency of a home and local school but the other parent will be given designated visitation rights, etc.
- Grandparent Visitation and Custody: In some instances, grandparents are able to establish some type of custody and visitation rights. If you are a grandparent interested in learning more, do not hesitate to give Dawes Legal a call to discuss this niche area of child custody further.
Which child custody arrangement is best for you and your child really depends on a lot of factors. At Dawes Legal, LLC, I am here to help you get the child custody arrangement you want. I know you value spending time with your child over spending time in court and will work hard to make the process as quick and painless and possible. Whether you are setting up a child custody arrangement for the first time or need to revisit one that isn’t being followed or no longer reflects your situation- pick up the phone and give me a call today at (614) 733-9999.