When one parent makes unilateral decisions relating to the health, safety, welfare, education, religion or other important decision for a child, his or her conduct may have a detrimental impact on that parent's future legal and/or physical custody rights. You might be surprised how often it happens given the possible impacts described below. First, making unilateral legal custody decisions while an order for joint legal custody exists is a violation of a court order that may be punishable by contempt. Second, the court looks unfavorably on a parent that makes unilateral decisions for their child, while excluding the other parent for the decision. The law promotes both parents' involvement in making important decisions for a child. The family court judge is required to make custody orders that place a child with the parent that most likely facilitates the other parent's relationship with the child. This means that ultimately the court could modify physical custody orders (i.e. the parenting plan) due to one parent acting rogue.