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Child Custody and Child Visitation Child Custody Orders

How Does Legal Custody Differ From Physical Custody?

Legal child custody addresses the right and responsibility to make decisions regarding a child’s health, education and welfare. Parties are generally awarded joint legal child custody in Orange County Superior Court.

Infographic about Physical and Legal Custody

Physical And Legal Custody

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In unique situations, a family law court may award legal child custody to one parent in a designated area: education, extra-curricular activities or medical issues. This type of child custody order may be made when the parties have a history of high conflict in one of these specific areas and have demonstrated an inability to co-parent.

Most courts in Orange County are reluctant to make orders designating which school a child should attend and courts will often award legal child custody to one parent relative to educational issues and authorize that parent to make the school selection decisions.

Physical child custody addresses where a child resides.

Parties may have joint or sole legal child custody and physical child custody.