Bradley Beach, NJ family law attorney Cipora Winters explains the difference between physical and legal custody. She notes that the distinction between physical and legal custody lies in the type of authority exercised over a child’s life. Legal custody refers to decision-making authority—determining matters such as which school the child will attend, what medical care they will receive, or whether they should go to day camp or sleepaway camp. In New Jersey, the presumption and near foundational rule is that parents will share joint legal custody, as courts generally do not want one parent to have greater decision-making power than the other. Physical custody, on the other hand, is what most people commonly think of when they hear the word “custody,” as it refers to how much time the children spend in each parent’s home.