Custody Terms

In Missouri, "custody" means joint legal custody, joint physical custody, sole legal custody, or sole physical custody or any combination (MO Revised Statutes 452.375.1).

Joint Legal Custody

The parents share decision-making responsibilities and authority relating to the health, education, and welfare of their children. Parents are required to confer with each other.

Joint Physical Custody

Each parent has significant, but not necessarily equal, residential duties for their child, shared in a manner that assures the child of frequent, continuing, and meaningful contact with both parents.

Sole Custody

One parent has the decision-making responsibility and authority for their child, and is not required to confer with the other parent. The non-custodial parent has reasonable residential duties ("visitation").

Third Party Custody

A non-parent has the decision-making responsibility and authority for the child, and is not required to confer with the parents. The parents have reasonable residential duties ("visitation").