What are the key differences between joint custody and full custody?
What are the key differences between joint custody and full custody? Assistant at Ascent Law LLC Assistant at Ascent Law LLC The terms "joint custody" and "full custody" get used interchangeably in casual conversation, but they're completely different things. Many people are surprised to learn what the differences really are. Joint custody is when both parents have equal say over major decisions for their child, like where the child will go to school, what religion he or she will practice, or whether the child should receive medical treatment. The parents must agree on these issues before making them final, so if there's a disagreement about something major, it can be very difficult to enforce. Joint custody also means that both parents have equal rights to possession of the child—the child can live with each parent for an equal amount of time (this is called "time-sharing"). It also means that both parents must agree to make major changes in their...