What is the difference between primary physical custody and joint legal custody?

What is the difference between primary physical custody and joint legal custody?

Physical custody refers to where the child will primarily live and which parent will care for them on a daily basis. In other cases the parties share “joint physical custody” and share equal parenting time. The second type of custody, legal custody, refers to the parent's right to make decisions on the child's behalf.

What does having full physical custody mean?

Physical custody encompasses where the child lives and who cares for them. Sole physical custody (also called sole residential custody, sole parenting time, etc.) means that your child lives with one parent, called the custodial or residential parent. The alternative to sole physical custody is joint physical custody.

What does primary legal custody mean?

The term "custody" refers to the legal and physical custody of a child. Legal custody is the authority to make decisions for and about a child. Sole legal custody (also called sole parental responsibility) is when one parent has full responsibility to make major decisions for the child.

What are the benefits of primary physical custody?

Some of the key benefits include: The children reside in one primary location, so there is no need to ferry their belongings back and forth between two residences. In many cases, the children are able to continue living in the same location where they resided prior to the divorce or separation.