WATCH: How does a divorcing couple decide whether sole custody or joint custody is best for their family?

Nissa Ricafort answers:

Legal custody is the right to make decisions regarding your child’s education, medical care and religious upbringing. In deciding whether divorcing parents should share joint legal custody or if one parent should have sole legal custody, the parents should consider whether they can effectively communicate with one another to make important decisions for their child.

If the parents are unwilling or unable to regularly and effectively communicate with one another, it may be necessary for one parent to have sole decision-making authority, or sole legal custody. Additionally if the parents have significant differences regarding their religious beliefs or differences regarding appropriate medical care it likely would not be in a child’s best interest for those parents to share joint legal custody. It is important to carefully consider these issues with your family law attorney when making decisions about legal custody.