concerning a minor child, whats the difference between joint legal custody and joint physical custody?

Answer 1

Joint-legal custody means both parents have say when dealing with the child. Both parents should been included in the child's medical, emotional, and physical well being. Both parents are financially responsible for the child. If the child lives with mom but goes to dads every other weekend, dad has joint-legal custody.

Joint-physical custody means tha the child is physically in your care. You have to do everything that I mentioned before, only this time the child lives with you. If the child lives with dad 6 months out of the year then with mom 6 months out of the year; the parents have joint-physical custody.

Answer 2

Joint physical basically comes down to that each parent has the child for equal amounts of time and has equal access to the child's school, medical records etc.

Joint legal in theory means everyone has equal say but not necessarily equal time.

In reality Joint legal = jack squat if you don't hold primary physical. Whenever there is Joint Legal Custody one parent/guardian is granted Primary Physical - in reality this parent holds all the cards. Schools & drs will not always cooperate w the parent who doesnt have physical custody and the parent w primary physical tends to have the child the majority of the time.

I used to work in child welfare and spent a lot of time in family court and I wouldnt settle for joint legal if I were you(if this even pertains to you)

Answer 3

Texas Law - Joint Legal Custody

Legal custody, called "managing conservatorship" in Texas, involves the following rights and duties with respect to the child (unless the court limits those rights in its order):


To receive information from the other parent concerning the health, education, and welfare of the child (if the court so orders).
To confer with the other parent to the extent possible before making a decision concerning the health, education, and welfare of the child.
To see the child's records: medical, dental, psychological and educational.
To consult with the child's care providers: doctor, dentist, psychologist.
To consult with school officials.
To attend school activities.
To be designated on school records as a person to be notified in the event of an emergency.
To consent to medical, dental, and surgical treatment during an emergency involving an immediate danger to the health and safety of the child.
To manage the estate of the child to the extent the estate has been created by that parent or that parent's family.
Legal custody can be sole or joint, that is "sole managing conservatorship" or "joint managing conservatorship."

Section 153.073.

Joint custody is a court order whereby custody of a child is awarded to both parties. Many states recognize two forms of joint custody: joint physical custody, and joint legal custody. In joint physical custody, which is also known as joint physical care, actual lodging and care of the child is shared according to a court-ordered custody schedule. In many cases, the term 'visitation' is no longer used in these circumstances. In joint legal custody, both parents share the ability to have access to educational, health, and other records, and have equal decision-making status where the welfare of the child is concerned. It is important to note that joint physical custody and joint legal custody are different aspects of custody, and determination is often made separately in many states' divorce courts. E.g., it is possible to have joint legal custody, but for one parent to have primary physical custody.