having custody of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "having custody of" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in legal contexts to refer to the responsibility for the care and control of a person, often a child. Example: "After the divorce, she was awarded having custody of their two children."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Also female's better recall of divorce dates appears to be due to having custody of the children from the divorce.

Princeton University

Id., at 1906 ("The offense intended to be reached by this provision is interfering with a person having custody of the mail") (statement of Mr. Heyburn).

Cornell University

36 consecutive hours when the owner or person having custody of animals being transported requests, in writing and separate from a bill of lading or other rail form, that the 28-hour period be extended to 36 hours.

Cornell University

(2) read as follows: "require any officer or employee having custody of or handling funds to give bond with good and sufficient surety in an amount and character in compliance with regulations of the Board, and authorize the payment of the premium or premiums therefor from the funds of the Federal credit union;".

Cornell University

For legitimate business reasons, representatives of the Institute may need to access electronic or other records (including paper files) without the consent of the individuals having custody of them; examples of these business reasons include access required by law, where the individual is unavailable due to illness, in the course of an investigation, or in cases of alleged misconduct.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

As a result, said Ms. Blumberg, a law professor at the University of California at Los Angeles, child support obligations would be higher than under current law when a parent having custody of a child earns substantially less than the other parent.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

The Pannirellos now have custody of them.

The New York Times

Curry has custody of their son.

The New York Times - Sports

He has custody of their daughter, Madison Jane.

The New York Times

Who will have custody of orphaned Bo?

The Guardian - Books

Francis has custody of his daughter.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about legal matters, clearly specify the type of custody (e.g. sole custody, joint custody) to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "having custody of" when you mean visitation rights. Custody implies overall care and control, while visitation refers to scheduled periods of access.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "having custody of" functions as a prepositional phrase, typically modifying a noun or pronoun to indicate who is legally responsible for the care and control of a person or object. Ludwig AI indicates that this usage is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

40%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "having custody of" is a grammatically sound and relatively common way to express legal responsibility and care for a person or object. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. Its usage is most frequent in legal, family, and news-related contexts. When using this phrase, it's important to differentiate it from visitation rights and specify the type of custody to avoid ambiguity. While several alternative phrases exist, such as "possessing guardianship of" or "responsible for", the original phrase maintains a clear and direct connotation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

legally responsible for

Highlights the legal obligations associated with the role.

possessing guardianship of

Highlights the legal aspect of being a guardian.

overseeing the care of

Focuses on the act of supervising and providing care.

tasked with the protection of

Emphasizes the duty to safeguard and protect.

in charge of

Focuses on the responsibility aspect rather than the legal right.

holding responsibility for

Stresses the duty and accountability aspects.

entrusted with the care of

Emphasizes the aspect of being given a duty or responsibility.

responsible for

Emphasizes accountability and duties related to care.

maintaining control over

Highlights the aspect of keeping authority and management.

in possession of

Focuses more on the physical control rather than the legal responsibility.

FAQs

How can I use "having custody of" in a sentence?

You can use "having custody of" to indicate legal responsibility for a person or thing, such as "The mother was awarded "having custody of" the children after the divorce".

What's the difference between ""having custody of"" and "having visitation rights"?

"Having custody of" implies full legal responsibility for the care and control of a child, while "having visitation rights" means having scheduled access to the child but not primary responsibility.

What are some alternatives to ""having custody of"" in legal writing?

In legal writing, you could use phrases like "possessing guardianship of", "legally responsible for", or "entrusted with the care of" as alternatives to ""having custody of"".

Is it correct to say someone "has custody for" a child?

No, it's more grammatically correct to say someone "has custody of" a child. The preposition "of" is necessary to properly convey the relationship between the person and the child.