How Can You Appeal a Child Custody Decision?

  Jan Meriss Alfonso Assistant at Ascent Law LLC The answer is yes, but not without some help from the court. The first thing to know is that 50/50 custody is only possible if one parent has sole legal custody. In other words, if one parent has sole legal custody and the other doesn't, then that parent can't get 50/50 custody. If one parent has joint legal custody and the other doesn't, then neither can get 50/50 custody. Another way to think about it: If you have joint legal custody and your partner objects, then you're stuck with whatever decision your partner makes on those matters—even if it's a bad one. Joint legal custody means that both parents have equal say in the day-to-day activities of raising their child—but only one of them gets to make decisions about major life events like a move or a job change. Custody Arrangement It all depends on what kind of custody arrangements the family has already made with each other. If you have already reached an agreemen...