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Legal Information: Michigan

Custody

Updated: 
March 27, 2024

What is custody?

Custody is the legal responsibility for the care and control of your child under 18 years of age. The court may give custody of your child to one or both parents. There are two types of custody: legal and physical.

Legal custody is the right to make major decisions about your child. Some types of decisions included in the right of legal custody are: where your child goes to school, whether your child gets surgery, and what kind of religious training your child receives.

Physical custody refers to who your child lives with on a day-to-day basis. It is the physical care and supervision of your child.