You may have just gotten divorced and have questions about child custody. Making sure your children are taken care of after your divorce is imperative to you. So, the question is when it comes to joint custody, what are the laws in your state?
Facts about joint custody
Joint custody is a court order where custody of your children is awarded to you and your former spouse.
- In joint custody, both you and your former spouse are custodial parents and neither of you is a non-custodial parent. There are two custodial parents.
- In the U.S. there are two forms of joint custody recognized by states.
- They include joint physical custody, also called shared custody and joint legal custody.
- In joint physical custody, your children will have two homes, your home and your former spouses. A court-ordered custody schedule is created for this.
- In joint legal custody, you and your former spouse can make major choices about your children’s lives. Joint legal custody gives you both the right to make decisions jointly. You can make decisions such as your children’s education and religion. You will also have access to your children’s health records, education records, or others.
When it comes to any issue regarding family legal matters, it is overseen by state law. The same is true when it comes to your joint custody. It depends on what state you live in. If you live in Georgia, the court will award custody based on whatever is best for your children. After considering any agreements made, the court may grant you and your former spouse joint custody if it is in the best interest of your children. If your children are 14-years-old or older, they will get to decide which parent they would like to live with, unless the parent is considered to be unfit.
Going through a divorce is especially difficult when you have children to consider. It is important to know what your options may be if you are considering joint custody with your former spouse.