Child custody is more than simply deciding who the children will live with. Religious upbringing, decisions regarding medical care, and educational goals are other issues divorcing parents must discuss and settle on in the course of their separation. Negotiations on these matters can sometimes become contentious, so hiring a Family Lawyer in Bremerton WA, to help settle child custody issues may be necessary.
Physical vs. Legal Custody
Most people are familiar with the physical custody aspects of child custody. The court may order sole physical custody to a single parent, which means the kids will live with the custodial parent full time. The non-custodial parent may be entitled to visitation rights, depending on specifics of the situation. If children spend a significant amount of time with both parents, the court may award joint custody to both and develop a schedule detailing when the kids will live each parent (e.g. summers with dad and the school year with mom).
Legal custody, on the other hand, gives a parent the right to make decisions regarding important matters such as where the kids go to school and the type of medical care they receive. Unless there are mitigating circumstances (such as abuse or neglect), both parents will be assigned legal custody of children, especially if the parents share joint physical custody. Gaining legal custody of kids is a good way to ensure you have an equal say in the children’s’ upbringing.
Settling Important Matters
The majority of the time, parents want what’s best for their children. However, each parent may have a different idea of what that means. For instance, one parent may think sending the kids to private school is the best way to go while the other thinks public school is just fine. Divorcing parents can get caught up in these singular issues and cause divorce proceedings to grind to a halt. Meanwhile, the main ones being hurt by the bickering are the kids who don’t know what’s going to happen from one day to the next.
Having a third party, such as a Family Lawyer in Bremerton WA, mediate problems can help get things back on track so you and your ex-spouse can focus on enjoying your time with your kids rather than fighting with each other.