Civil Court Custody Order
When Child Welfare Is Not Involved
A custody order obtained in a civil district court gives you legal custody and the right to physically care for the child and to make decisions about that child’s welfare. It does not terminate the child’s parents’ parental rights, but in order to regain custody, the parents have to go back to court.
Juvenile Court Custody
When Child Welfare Is Involved
Once a child is in foster care, DSS must go to the NC Juvenile Court to get a custody order. A custody order does not require that the birth parents’ legal rights be terminated. However, it is preferable to seek guardianship because it gives you more protection and takes more effort to change.