What Are The Types Of Custody?

What Are The Types Of Custody?

If you are going to court in Michigan for child custody, it is helpful to have some idea about the different types of custody. There are two main types and then some subtypes. Understanding each option will better enable you to know what to ask for in court and will help you follow along if the judge is making a decision and awarding custody.

The Michigan Courts explain the two main types of custody are sole and joint. Sole custody means that one parent has primary physical and legal custody of the child. The child will live with this parent the majority of the time, and this parent is responsible for making all the decisions regarding the upbringing of the child. If you are not the parent granted sole custody, then you might be given parenting time during which you would make general decisions regarding the child.

Joint custody is more complex. It is where you share custody with the other parent. It requires cooperation and working together with the other parent. There are two types of joint custody.  Joint legal custody means you both make decisions regarding your child and have an equal say in all decisions. Joint physical custody refers to time with the child. It is how the time spent with each of you is divided up.

The court always makes custody decisions based on what is best for the child. If the judge sees you and the other parent cannot work together, then it is more likely that he or she will rule for sole custody over joint custody, for example. This information is for education only. It