Joint Legal Custody - Religious Services and Parenting Time
Where parents share legal custody they share the decision-making of all things related to the education and medical needs of a child, as well as the religious upbringing of the child. What encompasses "religious upbringing" is difficult to define. Even where parents are the same religion, what one parent considers a necessary religious practice, the other parent may not.
If parents who share legal custody agree on the religion of a child, does it follow that each parent must take the child to religious services during their respective parenting time? If not, can the parent that wants the child to attend services mandate that the other parent allow him/her to take the child to attend religious services during other parent's parenting time?
In a recent case the Indiana Court of Appeals stated that whether the child must attend services is the prerogative of the parent exercising parenting time. In other words, no, the parent is not required to take the child to services, or allow the other parent to interrupt his/her parenting time to take the child to services.
If parents who share legal custody agree on the religion of a child, does it follow that each parent must take the child to religious services during their respective parenting time? If not, can the parent that wants the child to attend services mandate that the other parent allow him/her to take the child to attend religious services during other parent's parenting time?
In a recent case the Indiana Court of Appeals stated that whether the child must attend services is the prerogative of the parent exercising parenting time. In other words, no, the parent is not required to take the child to services, or allow the other parent to interrupt his/her parenting time to take the child to services.