What does the term 'sole legal custody' imply?

The term 'sole legal custody' implies that only one parent is responsible for making major decisions regarding the child's upbringing. This encompasses significant aspects of the child's life, such as education, healthcare, and religious training. Sole legal custody grants that parent the exclusive authority to decide these matters, which allows for consistency and clarity in parenting without the need for agreement from the other parent.

In contexts where sole legal custody is established, it's common for the non-custodial parent to retain some rights to visitation or input, but they do not have the legal authority to make binding decisions. This ensures that the custodial parent can provide for the child’s needs effectively and without conflict over decisions that can affect the child’s welfare.