If you have left your spouse or significant other and have children, then the Court can make a decision on who has custody and how often the children will be at your house versus your ex-spouse or significant other. That is called a parenting plan. There are several parenting plans and you need to know which is right for you and your children. Custody is the first question to resolve. Legal custody is how major decisions are made such as education and medical. Physical custody is where the children reside. The children can be primarily with one parent or transition between homes in a shared custody arrangement. Joint custody can be evenly split between the parents’ home or shared with one parent having more time than the other parent. The Court will take into consideration the history of the parent’s care given to the children along with any concerns that impact the safety, health and well-being of the children. In the event that one of the parents has abused the other parent or the children, then the Court may restrict the abusing parent’s rights to parenting time. Our firm’s lawyers have extensive experience in child custody trials.