In a Oklahoma child custody case, the parents must decide if they want joint or sole custody of their children. Over the years the family Courts in Tulsa have evolved and have fashioned custody rulings that attempt to keep up with the requirements of a modern family. Many early decisions would favor the Mother and grant her full custody with the Father left with weekend visitation. The family courts have come a long way since than. Now the Courts look more to an equal access to the child or joint child custody preference.
What is Joint Custody
The family Courts in Tulsa, and throughout the State, prefer Joint custody. In fact the legislature in the State created a legal preference in favor of joint custody. The idea is that the best interests of the child are met when each parent shares in the upbringing of their children. Stating with this legal presumption the courts explore what is practical in shared custody. This analysis looks at whether or not the parents can in fact raise their children together. Things like the parental relationship to each other along with the living arrangements of each parent. Also, practical matters like who will be best able to care for the children and what have the parent’s been doing regarding caring for their children prior to the child custody order.
What is Legal Custody
Joint legal custody involves decision making of both parents in certain situations. This type custody puts both parents on an equal footing regarding big decisions over their children. Joint legal isn’t about physical custody of your children. Joint legal pertains to legal decisions. An example of a legal decision is medical care, religious affiliation and choice of school to name a few. Joint legal decision making doesn’t involve those day to day decisions that are a part of the custodial parents
Joint Physical Custody
Unlike legal custody, physical custody involves the amount of time a child spends with each parent. When the child is physically with a parent this does not change legal custody during the period of physical custody. Joint physical custody is ordered by the court or by agreement of the parents.
This type of custody can be setup in any number of ways. Some of those include one week off and one week on. The key to joint physical is that the physical custody of your children is on a somewhat equal basis between the parents. In this type custody arrangement the amount of child support a parent pays is also impacted. This is because child support reduces by the number of days each parent has the child. The more a child is with a parent its presumed that this increases how much the parent is supporting the child.
Tulsa Child Custody Attorneys
When you’re facing child custody disputes, information is what you need. Understanding the different kinds of arrangements available to you and your family is how we can help. The Attorneys at Tulsa Divorce Attorneys and Associates offer a free consultation. Give us a call and get the facts