Greensboro Child Custody & Visitation Attorney

North Carolina judges have significant discretion when it comes to determining child custody and visitation arrangements. The judge is required by law to determine the custody and visitation arrangement which serves the best interest of the child. In determining a custody and visitation arrangement, the court must be gender-neutral, meaning that is no presumption in favor of the father or mother. Each case is unique and will be decided on its own merits.

In North Carolina, there are two components to a child custody arrangement or order – legal custody and physical custody. The legal custody component refers to how major decisions concerning the child’s life will be made, such as decisions concerning the child’s education, religion, and health. The physical custody component, often called parenting time in other jurisdictions, refers to the amount of time the child spends with each parent. When the child resides with one parent for the vast majority of the time, it is said that the parent has primary physical custody and the other parent is said to have secondary custody, otherwise known as visitation. The parent with secondary physical custody often will have a child support obligation. When parent's share equal or near equal parenting time, it is said that the parents have joint physical custody of the children.