Sole legal and sole physical custody means that primary decision making authority will be exercised by (Petitioner Name) as the custodial parent and that the minor children will typically live with (Petitioner Name) more than 255 overnights each year.
(Respondent Name) will spend time with the minor children whenever both of you agree. The Court will order a parent-time schedule in case you can't agree. The parent-time schedule is the minimum amount of time (Respondent Name) is entitled to. (Respondent Name) makes the day to day decisions when a child is with (him/her).
Child support is calculated using the sole custody worksheet and the gross income of each parent.
Example: The Court signs an order stating that (Petitioner Name) has Sole Legal and Sole Physical Custody and creates a parent time schedule for (Respondent Name). The children live with (Petitioner Name). (Respondent Name) typically spends every other weekend with the children as well as several weeks during the summer. (Respondent Name) alternates major holidays with (Petitioner Name). (Respondent Name) may spend time chatting with the children by phone or over the Internet during reasonable hours. (Petitioner Name) tells (Respondent Name) whenever the children are involved in important events so that (he/she) can attend. (Petitioner Name) decides which school the children will attend and what medical treatment the children will receive. (Petitioner Name) signs release forms with the children's medical providers and schools so that (Respondent Name) has access to the children's records. When the children are with (Respondent Name), (he/she) decides what is appropriate to wear, what they will do together for fun, and what they will eat. (Respondent Name) pays child support to (Petitioner Name).