Determining a parental arrangement that covers child custody and visitation can be troublesome, particularly when there is enmity between parents. Whether you’ve been recently separated and hoping to familiarize yourself with child custody or you’ve had an open case for a while that needs alterations because of life changes, you can find answers with the von Herrmann Law Firm.

Child custody is a legal term relating to guardianship in which a parent (or parents) is charged with the responsibility of providing for and protecting a child. During harsh separation or divorce procedures, or in situations of alleged abuse (either against the kid, or against a mate, or both), custody hearings might be brought to court.

Different Types of Custody

In South Carolina, there are three primary types of child custody: sole custody, joint custody, and divided custody.

Sole custody is the most common child custody arrangement. It refers to situations where one parent is granted physical custody of the child, and the other parent has visitation rights with the child.

Joint custody, on the other hand, describes situations in which both parents share physical custody of a child. This arrangement typically provides both parents with more physical time than the common visitation schedule in a sole custody arrangement. You might often hear joint custody being referred to as “co-parenting” due to the way parental responsibilities are often, but not necessarily, split 50/50.

Divided custody is an alteration made to sole custody, occurring when there is more than one child in which sole custody of one or more children is given to one parent and sole custody of the remaining child or children is granted to the other parent.