When parents separate, decisions about children become legal questions. Custody is the legal right and responsibility to care for a child, including decisions about residence, education, health care, and daily welfare.

Courts distinguish physical custody, which concerns where the child lives, from legal custody, which concerns major decision-making authority. Arrangements may be sole or joint. The guiding standard in most jurisdictions is the best interests of the child, assessed through factors such as stability, parental fitness, and the child’s relationships.

Custody orders can be modified when circumstances change materially. Enforcement mechanisms address interference with custodial rights. Agreements between parents are encouraged but remain subject to judicial approval when incorporated into court orders.

• Legal authority to care for and decide for a child
• Includes physical and legal dimensions
• Guided by the child’s best interests
• Subject to modification upon changed circumstances