• Overview of child custody options in Iowa.children image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
  
  Contemplating a divorce or legal separation in Iowa requires you to take the time to understand the basics of Iowa divorce law. If you have children, understanding your child custody options in Iowa is crucial. Iowa law does establish different options for child custody in divorce, legal separation and paternity cases.
  
  

Joint Legal Custody

• One option is joint legal custody, which permits both parents to share equally in making major decisions on behalf of the minor child. Iowa law prefers joint legal custody in divorce, legal separation and paternity cases.
  
  

Sole Legal Custody

• Sole legal custody in Iowa grants authority to only one parent to make major decisions for a minor child. This is not the preferred arrangement under Iowa law. Sole legal custody is ordered if one of the parents is incapable of participating in decision making on the child's behalf.
  
  

Joint Physical Custody

• In addition to decision making issues, Iowa law addresses where a minor child lives in a divorce, legal separation, or paternity case. Joint physical custody is one option, where both parents maintain homes for the minor child and both parents enjoy shared parenting time. Neither parent enjoys any right of superiority in providing the child's physical care.
  
  

Sole Physical Custody

• Iowa law also permits sole physical custody in the event one of the parents is unable to consistently provide for the child's physical care. For example, if one parent does not have a stable and reliable home, awarding sole physical custody to the other parent is the only practical solution.