What is Legal Custody in Nevada?
Custody of a child refers to providing care and taking responsibility for a child. When parents live in separate households but have shared children, decisions will need to be made on how custody should be shared. The parents will need to negotiate to create a parenting plan and make these decisions. If parents cannot agree, a judge will consider what is in the child’s best interests and will then make a decision on who should have custody.
When parents think about the issue of custody, their primary focus is usually on physical custody. Physical custody refers to where the child will live. However, there is also another important type of custody that must be divided: legal custody. Legal custody in Nevada can be shared among the parents or can be awarded to just one of the two parents. An experienced Las Vegas divorce lawyer at Pintar Albiston LLP can help you to argue for your preferred legal custody arrangement. Call today to schedule a consultation and learn more about how we can assist you during your separation or divorce.
Understanding Legal Custody in Nevada
Legal custody in Nevada refers to having the right to make decisions that impact your child’s life. A parent who has legal custody will have a say in all of the important issues that arise while a child is being raised. For example, the parent who has legal custody decides:
- Where the child should attend school and what academic opportunities the child should take advantage of.
- What types of medical care the child should receive.
- What types of dental care the child should receive.
- What religious upbringing the child should have, if any.
Legal custody is sometimes shared among the two parents. When this happens, the parents will need to make decisions together even though they are living separately. If parents cannot agree on an issue that arises with their children, they may need to get help from a third party mediator or even take the issue to court. Neither parent can act unilaterally on an important matter without the consent of the other parent, since both have the right to have their say.
Legal custody in Nevada may also be awarded only to one parent. This usually happens if one of the parents has sole or primary custody. The parent who has legal custody is going to have the only say on what happens to the child. If the other parent disagrees with decisions that have been made, he or she can voice his opposition but the custodial parent does not have to listen. This would mean that the only option if bad decisions were being made would be to go to court and petition to have the legal custody changed or the decision made by the custodial parent reversed.
An experienced Las Vegas divorce lawyer can help a parent to argue for legal custody in Nevada and can also assist in situations where disputes arise among parents who share legal custody. Contact Pintar Albiston LLP today to schedule a consultation with an attorney who can help with all of your child custody issues.