FAQ: What Is The Difference Between Legal Custody And Physical Custody?

The legal custody of a child is defined as the right to make major decisions on behalf of the child, including, but not limited to, medical, religious and educational decisions. Legal custody may be shared between the parties or one party may be awarded sole legal custody. If legal custody is shared, then more than one individual has the right to make major decisions on behalf of the child. If one party has sole legal custody, then that individual has the exclusive right to make the major decisions. The physical custody of a child is defined as the actual physical possession and control of a child. Physical custody may be sole, primary, shared, partial or supervised. If one party has sole physical custody, then that individual has the exclusive right to possession of the child. If one party has primary physical custody, then that individual has the right to assume physical custody of the child for a majority of the time. Shared physical custody is the right of more than one individual to have significant periods of physical custodial time with the child and partial physical custody is the right to assume physical custody of the child for less than a majority of the time. Finally, supervised physical custody is custodial time during which an agency or an adult monitors the interaction between the individual and the child. Call 814-201-6287 or send an email inquiry to schedule a consultation with the Law Office of Joel D. Peppetti, P.C., in Blair County.