Divorce is hard on any family, but many people go through it. Usually, divorce includes talks about how the divorcing parents can take care of the kids and the amount of control they have over their lives. In a divorce that involves kids, child custody and visitation rights make the process even harder. There are various kinds of child custody that have specific rules and regulations. Thankfully, a child custody law attorney can provide the necessary consultation and assistance so that a divorcing parent can retain custody of their kids during their divorce. If you and your spouse have decided to end your marriage, you must make decisions regarding your children’s future. This includes how to share child custody with your spouse. If you both cannot reach a custody arrangement by yourself, a family court in Wisconsin must decide for you.
Physical Custody and Placement
Typically, physical custody of the kids in the state of Wisconsin is referred to as placement. Placement determines which parents the kids must live with every day and the daily care of the kids. Meanwhile, legal custody refers to the authority of a parent to make major decisions for their minor kids. These decisions include the education, medical care, and religious upbringing of the kids.
How Child Custody is Determined in Court
Courts in Maplewood, Wisconsin presume that the best interests of a child are served by giving both parents joint legal custody. Thus, every parent can equally make decisions for their children. Likewise, courts try to make decisions regarding placement that let the kids get maximize time with every parent. But courts consider some factors when making custody determinations. These include the physical and developmental age of a child and their care needs, the relationship of every parent with the child, the living situation they can offer, the relationship of the child with other members of the family, the wishes of the child, and others.
Joint vs Sole Custody
Often, the court will award joint legal custody to parents, so they can share responsibility for the kids with each other. The parents should communicate and agree with each other regarding major decisions in rearing their children. But sometimes, will determine that sole custody is appropriate. If both parents can’t agree on some issues about their kids or living far from each other, one parent may be awarded sole authority for making decisions about at least one area of their kid’s care while letting both parents make decisions about other areas.
