Custody Rights At Glance

Child custody is a serious concern for individuals who have initiated a legal separation or a divorce. An individual’s custody rights will vary, depending upon what type of custody arrangement was established. Generally, a child's mother and father will share joint custody of their child. This means that both parents with maintain rights and responsibilities regarding the child's health and well-being. Each parent will have a say in the way that the child is raised and cared for. In addition, a detailed schedule will be created to determine when the child will reside with each parent.

However, one parent may choose to sue for sole custody of the child. If he/she is awarded sole custody, he/she alone will possess the right and responsibility of raising the child, and he/she will make all medical and educational decisions. In the event that this occurs, the other parent may be granted visitation rights or supervised visitation rights. Visitation rights will allow him/her to visit his/her child for a specified period of time each month. If he/she is only permitted supervised visitation, he/she must be supervised when spending time with his/her child, often by a court official.