In Kentucky, the custodial determination pertains to parental decision making for the children. In other words, custodial rights determine a parent’s ability to make decisions, jointly or solely regarding the children’s upbringing. This is distinguished from parenting time (visitation) – the amount of time each parent spends with the children.

A parent who is awarded sole custody gets to make all of the major decisions regarding the children’s upbringing. Sole custody creates a tremendous imbalance in the influence of the parents. Because of this imbalance, there is a trend in Kentucky Courts away from sole custody, except in cases where one parent is not willing or able to successfully co-parent the children.

A parent who has sole custody generally gets to determine where a child lives and may relocate without first obtaining the permission of the court or other parent. A sole custodian has full control over the children’s education, medical care and religious upbringing.

To learn more about sole vs. joint custody in Kentucky, contact our child custody attorneys and request a consultation with an associate or senior attorney.