Also, it is useful to know that the age of majority in Maryland is 18. After this age, the issue of custody is not revelant, unless there are exceptional circumstances. When a parent has sole custody, that parent has full and complete authority over all decisions regarding the welfare of the child. The parent having sole custody has the legal right to make all decisions regarding the child, including those relating to health, education, religious and disciplinary matters. The other parent has a right of visitation, highly protected by the Courts, but has no right to participate in significant parenting decisions.
Joint custody is quite different.
When joint custody is either awarded or agreed to between the parties, the parents are obligated to communicate with each other and make a good faith effort to reach mutually agreeable decisions about the major matters affecting their child's welfare. Neither parent has the legal right to unilaterally make such decisions. There is a misconception, however, that joint custody requires that the child divide his or her time equally between the households of each parent. This is not necessarily the case. Primary physical custody can be awarded to either parent or the parents can agree between themselves as to the amount of time the child will spend in each household.