Nicaise v. Sundaram

SWANN, Judge:

*1048¶ 1 In this family-law appeal, we hold that decrees awarding joint legal decision-making with one parent having the final decision-making authority on certain issues must be interpreted as awarding sole legal decision-making on those issues. We further hold that while the court may base an award of legal decision-making on the decisions the parents are likely to make, it may not substitute its judgment for that of the parents and make parenting decisions for them when they are unable to agree.

¶ 2 In this case, the evidence established that the parents were completely unable to…