What is the difference between a sole and joint custody arrangement?

In Pennsylvania, when parents decide to separate or divorce, they must determine the living arrangements and legal rights of their minor children. This often requires negotiating and making decisions regarding child custody. When parents cannot agree on a custodial arrangement, the court will make the final decision. Sole custody and joint custody are the two types of custody arrangements. In a sole custody arrangement, only one parent has legal and physical custody of the child. That parent is responsible for the child’s day-to-day care and making decisions about their upbringing. The other parent may still have visitation rights, but they do not share physical or legal custody. Joint custody is another option. This arrangement grants legal and physical custody rights to both parents. They will work together to make decisions about the upbringing of their child. However, one parent may be designated as the primary custodial parent, who will be responsible for the majority of the child’s day-to-day care. The other parent may still have parental rights and visitation rights. To summarize, sole custody arrangements grant legal and physical custody of the child to one parent, while joint custody arrangements grant it to both parents. One parent is usually designated as the primary custodial parent in a joint custody arrangement.

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