Legal Custody

The right to make or share in making major legal decisions for another (usually the children). These decisions include routine medical case (anyone with the right to physical placement will have the right to seek emergency medical care), education, religion, to grant permission to marry, join the armed services, get a driver's license and drop out of school before age of majority. If joint legal custody is awarded, the parties are to share in the decision-making and are to consult one another in making decisions for the child. Under certain circumstances, the court may order joint legal custody over the objection of one party. Absent a specific court order to the contrary, parents will retain the right to access of school and medical records of the child, even if that parent is not awarded legal custody.