Custody

There are many reasons people choose not to get a legal decision-making and parenting time order from a court.  Some people decide not to get a legal decision-making and parenting time order because they don’t want to get the courts involved.  These people may have an informal agreement that works well for them or may think going to court will provoke the other parent.

There are also many advantages to getting a legal decision-making and parenting time order:

• The right to make decisions about your child and
• The right to have your child live with you.

If you decide not to get a legal decision-making and parenting time order, then you and the other parent may likely have equal rights to making decisions and living arrangements.  The exception to this can be when paternity has not been legally established. To understand whether paternity has been “established” for your child, see below How is paternity (legal fatherhood) established?

Note: You do not have to have a legal decision-making and parenting time order to file for child support.