I want to get full legal custody.

Full custody can mean a few different things, so let us define the term first. 

Often people mean all of the physical custody when they say full custody. But full custody can also include legal custody. Legal custody and physical custody are two different concepts.   

Generally a parent with legal custody has a right to make decisions about life issues such as medical matters, schooling and religion.  Even when the other parent is exercising custody or visitation, the right of legal custody still applies.   

So even a parent with full physical custody (and no visitation in the other parent ) would still have a duty to get the other parent’s input on a change in schooling if that other parent had legal custody.
So if you want full custody you will need to decide if that includes exclusive physical custody as well as legal custody. Then you have to determine if it is realistic under the circumstance. 

The best interest of the child is generally presumed to include contact with both parents.  Most courts will not exclude an interested parent from at least some visitation, unless they are a clear and present danger to the child, or otherwise so unfit that even supervised visitations would be deemed not in the child’s best interest.

So if by full custody you mean primary physical custody with some visitation in the other parent, than this is probably obtainable, particularly if the other parent is less fit, or less interested.

10 ways to better your chances of getting custody.

1. Find an adequate / safe living environment.
2. Stay in the same school district
3. Find a job / work schedule that fits the children’s routine.
4. Avoid cohabitating too soon in a new relationship
5. Find and keep stability in all aspects of your life.
6. Hire  a lawyer who knows custody and who you can afford.
7. Put the children’s needs above the custody fight.
8. Don’t involve the children in the custody fight.
9. Facilitate the opposing party’s custody as much as possible.
10. Know your own limits and needs.

• Delaware - 13 Del. C. §§ 1901 to 1925
• Florida - Fla. Stat. §§ 61.1302 to 61.1348
• Hawaii - HRS §§ 583-1 to 583-26
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kentucky -K.R.S. §§ 403.400 to 403.630
• Maryland - Code, Family Law, §§ 9-201 to 9-224
• Massachusetts

• Mississippi - Code, Title 93, Ch. 23
• Missouri - V.A.M.S. §§ 452.440 to 452.550
• Nebraska - §§ 43-1201 to 43-1225.
• Nevada
• New Hampshire §§ 458-A
• New Jersey -  N.J.S.A. §§ 2A:34-28 to 2A:34-52
• Ohio - R.C. §§ 3109.21 to 3109.37
• Pennsylvania

• Rhode Island
• South Carolina - Code 1976, §§ 20-7-782 to 20-7-830
• South Dakota
• Vermont
• Virgin Islands - V.I. Code Title 16, Ch. 4
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

• Alabama - Code 1975, §§ 30-3-20 to 30-3-44
• Alaska - Ch. 25.30.300 to 25.30.910
• Arizona - A.R.S. §§ 25-431 to 25-454
• Arkansas - Title 9, Ch. 19
• California - Division 8, Part 3
• Colorado - C.R.S.A. Title 14, Art. 13
• Connecticut
• District of Columbia - D.C. Code Division II, Title 16, Ch. 46
• Georgia - O.C.G.A. §§ 19-9-40 to 19-9-64
• Idaho - I.C. §§ 32-1101 to 32-1126

• Iowa
• Kansas - K.S.A. §§ 38-1336 to 38-1377
• Maine
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Montana
• New Mexico - NMSA Ch. 40, Art. 10A
• New York - Domestic Relations, Art. 5-A
• North Carolina - G.S. §§  50A-1 to 50A-25
• North Dakota (PDF) - NDCC 14-14-01 to 14-14-26

• Oklahoma - Okl.St.Ann. §§ 551-101 to 551-402.
• Oregon - ORS §§ 109.700 to 109.930
• Tennessee - Tenn. Code Title 36, Ch. 6, Part 2
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia - Title 20, Chapter 7.1
• Washington - RCW 26.27.010 to 26.27.910