What is the difference between sole custody and joint custody?

Sole custody in Virginia is when one parent is granted full legal and physical custody of the child. This means the parent will make decisions about the child’s medical care, education, religious upbringing, and other important matters. The other parent may still have visitation rights and be involved in the child’s life, but they will not have decision-making authority on any of these issues. Joint custody in Virginia is when both parents share legal and physical custody of the child. This means both parents will have input on important decisions regarding their child’s medical care, education, religious upbringing, and more. Both parents will also have physical custody of the child for a certain amount of time, often based on a set schedule. The parents may have to negotiate a parenting plan together, in order to ensure both are able to effectively co-parent the child. The main difference between sole custody and joint custody is the level of responsibility and input of both parents on decisions regarding the child’s upbringing. In sole custody, only one parent is in charge of making those decisions. In joint custody, both parents are involved in the decision-making process.

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What is the difference between sole custody and joint custody?

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