New York Child Custody Attorney | Mary Katherine Brown

There are a number of child custody options available in New York. The first child custody option to consider is sole child custody, also called “sole physical custody” or simply “custody.” Sole child custody means that only one parent has the right to make decisions about matters such as schooling, religion, and non-emergency medical care for the child. Shared child custody, also known as joint child custody, means that both parents have the physical right to care for the child and share equal responsibilities for decisions about his or her welfare.

Child Custody Options In New York

The child custody options available in New York are “sole” child custody, shared child custody (also called joint child custody), and split child custody (also called split physical child custody or shared legal child custody).

Sole Child Custody In New York

If one parent is granted sole child custody, the child lives with that parent and visits the other parent every other weekend. The child spends major holidays with both parents. This option means that only one parent has the right to make decisions about matters such as schooling, religion, and non-emergency medical care for the child.

In New York child custody cases, courts generally prefer sole child custody. However, this does not always happen. In fact, if a child’s parents are able to cooperate with each other and share parental responsibilities, a court may grant joint child custody instead of sole child custody. This child custody option is called shared child custody.

Shared Child Custody

If parents are granted shared child custody, the child lives with both parents for an equal amount of time. It is not uncommon for child custody schedules to specify that each parent has one week on and one week off child custody. If this type of schedule is ordered by a New York child custody court, the child spends a significant amount of time with each parent. For most child custody cases in New York, this child custody option is called shared child custody. Often parents who use sole child custody and parents with primary child custody will also refer to their arrangement as “shared child custody.”

Split Child Custody | Brooklyn – New York – Queens

With child custody cases that involve child abuse or child neglect, New York child custody laws recognize “split child custody” as a child custody option.

Split child custody means that one parent won sole child custody and the other parent was granted no visitation rights. Split child custody is also called split physical child custody or shared legal child custody.

New York child custody laws do not allow a child to choose which parent he or she would like to live with. Instead, child custody is decided by a child custody court or child custody mediation, depending on whether or not the child’s parents are able to cooperate and share parental responsibilities.

Get Child Custody Help In New York

If you are involved in child custody litigation in New York, you should consult with a child custody lawyer who can help you determine which child custody option is best for your child. Contact our office today to learn more about how we may be able to help you.