Divorce can be an earth-shattering event for children as well as for their parents. Parents and children alike can experience both psychological and financial effects during and after a divorce. Child custody laws are a subset of divorce laws created in each state that are designed to provide some sense of order to the transition a family goes through during a divorce.
In the State of Oregon, child custody is defined as the right to make healthcare, education and religious/spiritual decisions for the children. "Custody" should not be confused with "parenting time", which is the time each parent is scheduled to parent the child. In Oregon, parties can be awarded two forms of custody: joint legal or sole legal custody. If the parents agree to a joint legal custody arrangement, the parents continue to share rights and responsibilities for making the major decisions regarding their children after divorce. In Oregon, joint legal custody can only be awarded to the parents if they both agree that they want a joint legal custody arrangement. If both mom and dad do not agree on joint legal custody, then one of the parents must be awarded sole legal custody.
The legal custody decision in divorce is one of the most vital decisions made by you and your divorce lawyer. Be sure to choose an experienced divorce attorney who is knowledgeable about custody law and who will be sensitive to the particular needs of your children.
