Sole legal custody grants exclusive decision-making, while sole physical custody establishes one residence with parenting time for the other parent. Sole custody does not eliminate the other parent's access rights.
Awards require overcoming joint custody presumptions.
Alternative Names:
Sole Legal Custody|Exclusive Custody
Why it Matters?
Sole legal custody does not terminate the other parent's right to information about the child, since statutes in most states preserve access to school and medical records regardless of the custody designation, which parties frequently misunderstand as an information blackout. Overcoming a joint custody presumption requires evidence of an inability to cooperate, abuse, or absence rather than mere conflict.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Does sole legal custody eliminate information access?
What overcomes the joint custody presumption?





