Sole Child Custody: Pros and Cons

Sole child custody gives one parent more rights and responsibilities than the other. You may also hear it called full custody.

It can mean any of the following:

• One parent has sole physical custody and sole legal custody.
• One parent has sole physical custody, but parents share joint legal custody.
• One parent has sole legal custody, but parents share joint physical custody.

Sole custody is meant for families where one parent has not been involved with parenting at all or has proven themself incapable of healthy parenting.

Deciding what type of custody suits your family is one of the biggest choices you'll ever make. Prioritize what's best for your child. You'll have to convince a judge that sole custody is best if you can't convince the other parent.

Here are the pros and cons you should consider before asking for or agreeing to sole custody.

Pros

• Sole custody is the safest option if one parent is a danger to the child or is otherwise unfit to parent.
• It can be a natural transition when one parent has not been involved with the child.
• It can help limit conflict for parents who aren't able to get along.
• Sole legal custody makes decision-making faster and simpler because the parents don't have to confer with each other.
• Sole physical custody generally means fewer custody exchanges and less commotion.
• Maintaining just one home for the child can be simpler and cheaper.

Cons

• Sole custody can be a shock if the child is used to having both parents involved.
• The custodial parent has to carry the majority of responsibility alone, while the noncustodial parent doesn't get much involvement with their child.
• In sole physical custody, the child does not get to see one parent often, and the relationship may suffer.
• A sole legal custodian doesn't have a co-parent to weigh decisions with (though they're not prevented from consulting the noncustodial parent).
• Sole custody may set you up for a later legal battle if the noncustodial parent's situation changes and they decide to ask for custody.

The easiest way to make a sole parenting plan

Whether you create a parenting plan with the other parent or on your own, the process can be overwhelming. You have to address all possible situations while using airtight legal language.

Use technology to take guesswork out of the equation. The Custody X Change app will walk you through each step of creating a plan.

In the end, you'll have a court-ready document that demonstrates your competence as a parent and secures your child's future.

The easiest and most reliable way to make a parenting plan is with Custody X Change.