What is legal custody?

Legal custody is the authority given to a parent or guardian to make impactful decisions on behalf of a child. Decisions, here, can impact everything from education to healthcare, to religious and cultural practices. Legal custody affords a parent or guardian the legal right to be involved in these decision-making processes. It also ensures that the guardian or parent has a say in the child’s upbringing. 

What are the benefits of legal custody?

There are several benefits of legal custody that impact parents or guardians and the children involved. Here are a few:

• Legal custody enables parents to actively participate in major decision making, which promotes a sense of responsibility and nurtures the parent-child relationship.
• Legal custody provides stability for the kids, ensuring that important decisions are made with their best interests at heart.
• Legal custody enables both parents to have a say in their child’s life. This prompts a sense of shared responsibility and therefore, cooperation between the parents.

Can legal custody be modified in the future?

Yes, legal custody can be modified after court proceedings under certain circumstances. Family circumstances can change, and these changes can sometimes warrant modifications of the existing legal custody arrangement. 

To modify legal custody, parents or guardians need to file a petition with the court and provide evidence of changes in circumstances that impact the kid’s best interests.