What are child custody and visitation rights?

Child custody and visitation rights are important aspects of divorce law in Michigan. Custody refers to the legal ability of a parent to make decisions regarding the child’s upbringing and lifestyle. Visitation rights refer to the ability of the non-custodial parent to spend time with their child (or children). In Michigan, custody is either joint or sole. Joint custody gives both parents the authority to make decisions regarding the child’s upbringing, while sole custody grants only one parent authority to make decisions. Michigan law also allows for joint legal custody, which allows both parents to have input on decisions, but assigns final decision-making authority to one parent. Visitation rights in Michigan are determined by the court; however, under normal circumstances, the court will order a reasonable amount of visitation with the non-custodial parent. Visitation may include weekends, holidays, and every other summer break. Additionally, a court order may also allow for frequent telephone access between parents and children or email access. Finally, if both parents live close enough, the court may also grant liberal visitation with both parents. In sum, child custody and visitation rights are important rights that parents are granted in Michigan divorce cases. The court can award either sole custody or joint custody, and can order reasonable visitation with the non-custodial parent.

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