As you go through the divorce process, you may have some questions about child custody. For example, you may be familiar with the term “sole custody.” Even so, there is more to this than meets the eye.
In short, a parent with sole custody of a child has exclusive legal and physical custody. Although sole custody is rare, it does come into play from time to time. For example, the court may award a parent sole custody if the other parent is unfit for any reason, such as having a drug addiction or history of child abuse.
With sole custody, the other parent does not have any legal or physical custody rights. Even so, he or she may be entitled to visitation as outlined by the court.
There are many benefits of sole custody, including the fact that you are not required by law to consult with the other parent when making important decisions, such as those associated with education and health. Along with this, you don’t have to concern yourself with the other parent harming the child (such as if the person has a history of child abuse).
Although you may believe that sole custody is the best arrangement for you and your child, there is no way to guarantee that the court will feel the same way. Along with this, the other parent may argue that sole custody is not the right decision.
The more you understand about sole custody, including what it entails, the easier it becomes to take the steps necessary to work toward this type of legal arrangement.
Source: FindLaw, “Sole Custody,” accessed March 14, 2017