As readers in New Jersey may know, the media usually portrays celebrities living extravagant, problem-free lifestyles. However, this is not always the case. Even celebrities find themselves dealing with tough issues that affect their families. Recently, the R&B singer Usher found himself dealing with the complicated issue of child custody.
After a long child custody dispute with his ex-wife Tameka Foster Raymond, Usher, whose real name is Usher Raymond IV, was awarded primary physical custody of his two preschool-aged sons. Tameka’s visitation rights have yet to be determined. Together, they both will have joint legal custody of the children.
Usher and Tameka married in 2007, but separated in July 2008 and divorced a year later. Usher claimed that the marriage was “irretrievably broken” and there was “no reasonable hope of reconciliation.” The custody decision comes after Tameka’s 11-year-old son Kile Glover was killed after a boating accident where he was run over by a personal watercraft.
Usher’s child custody case involves two types of custody: physical custody and legal custody. It is important to note the differences between them. Physical custody is probably the commonly understood type of child custody. If a parent has been awarded physical custody of a child it means that the parent has a right to have the child reside at his her home. If a parent has been granted legal custody of a child, it means he or she has legal authority to make important decisions about the child’s upbringing, including decisions about education and health.
In Usher’s case, he will have both physical and legal custody of the two boys, while Tameka will have only legal custody. For celebrities and non-celebrities alike, it is important for people to know the difference between physical and legal custody when dealing with child custody issues.
Source: New Jersey Herald, “R&B singer Usher wins primary custody of sons,” Jonathan Landrum Jr., Aug. 24, 2012
