If you’re going through a custody issue in Minnesota, it’s important to understand the difference between legal and physical custody. These terms may sound similar, but they each play a different role in your child’s life.
Understanding legal custody
Legal custody refers to who makes major decisions for your child. This includes choices about education, medical care, and religion. In Minnesota, both parents often share legal custody unless it’s not in the child’s best interest. Shared legal custody means both parents work together to make big decisions. Sole legal custody means one parent makes those decisions alone.
Understanding physical custody
Physical custody is about where your child lives and spends time day-to-day. It covers who handles the child’s routine and daily care. In Minnesota, physical custody can also be shared or sole. If it’s joint, the child splits time between both parents’ homes, but that is not necessarily exactly 50/50. If it’s sole physical custody, the child mainly lives with one parent, and the other may have scheduled parenting time.
Key differences between the two
Legal custody deals with authority over major life decisions. Physical custody is about the child’s daily living situation. You can have joint legal custody even if physical custody isn’t shared equally. Courts consider each parent’s ability to cooperate and support the child’s well-being when deciding custody arrangements.
Why understanding this matters
Knowing the difference helps you set realistic expectations. It also helps you focus on what matters most for your child’s future. Whether you share legal, physical, or both types of custody, clear communication and cooperation make a big difference.