When going through divorce, Tennessee parents often face concerns over the custody of their children. While they may initially think that child custody only refers to with whom the children will live, there is more to the situation than just living arrangements. In fact, parents considering their custody options may want to remember that both legal and physical custody will play a role.
If a parent is seeking sole custody of the children, it is important to know whether he or she wants both sole legal and sole physical custody or whether joint legal custody and sole physical custody would better suit the situation. When it comes to legal custody, parents have the ability to make significant decisions regarding the children’s welfare. If a parent wants sole legal custody, he or she wants to be the only one with the ability to make decisions regarding medical care, religious activities and education.
When it comes to physical custody, this refers to with whom the children will live. If a parent wants sole physical custody, he or she wants full supervision of the children and that the other parent only have visitation rights. By having both sole legal and physical custody, a parent may not have to consult with the other parent in the event that important decisions need making.
Of course, obtaining sole custody is not always easy. Tennessee parents hoping to obtain this type of child custody arrangement would have to convince the court that these terms would work best for the children. Therefore, they may need to build strong arguments for their cases, and understanding their legal rights and options may be useful during this time.