Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Dorit Kemsley and her estranged husband, Paul "PK" Kemsley, are still working out custody in their divorce. In a court declaration reported by TMZ on November 2, 2026, PK says Dorit chose their son's school without involving him and doesn't keep him informed about the children's schooling. Dorit denies his claims. Their case is in California; we don't know the details of their custody arrangement, and California law isn't Nevada law.
But the dispute raises a question many Nevada parents run into: if you share custody, who gets to decide where your child goes to school?
In Nevada, parents with joint legal custody are expected to consult each other and make major decisions together, and education is one of them. Separately, Nevada law says a parent can't be denied a child's school or medical records just because that parent isn't the custodial parent.
Legal custody and physical custody are different
Nevada custody has two parts. Physical custody is about where the child lives and the parenting schedule. Legal custody is about decisions. The Nevada Supreme Court has said "legal custody involves having basic legal responsibility for a child and making major decisions regarding the child, including the child's health, education, and religious upbringing" (Rivero v. Rivero, 125 Nev. 410 (2009)).
Parents can share legal custody even when one parent has the child most of the time. Under Nevada law, a court "may award joint legal custody without awarding joint physical custody" (NRS 125C.002(2)).
Nevada also starts from a presumption that joint legal custody is in a child's best interest when the parents agree to it, or when a parent has shown an intent to build a meaningful relationship with the child (or tried to and was blocked by the other parent) (NRS 125C.002(1)). That's one reason joint legal custody is so common here.
What joint legal custody means day to day
Joint legal custody works only if parents talk. In Rivero, the court said joint legal custody "requires that the parents be able to cooperate, communicate, and compromise," and that "the parents must consult with each other to make major decisions regarding the child's upbringing." Everyday choices are different: "the parent with whom the child is residing at that time usually makes minor day-to-day decisions."
So bedtime, dinner, and whether homework happens before or after practice are generally the parent's call who has the child that day. Changing schools, starting a new medical treatment, or other important major decisions are legal custody decisions that parents should make together.
Your right to your child's records
A parent who doesn't have primary physical custody still has a right to information. Nevada law says access to a child's records, "including, without limitation, medical, dental and school records, must not be denied to a parent for the reason that the parent is not the child's custodial parent" (NRS 125C.005(2)).
In practice, that usually means you can ask the school or the doctor's office directly instead of waiting for the other parent to pass things along. Bring a copy of your custody order, because some offices will ask to see it.
When parents can't agree on school
Sometimes parents with joint legal custody reach a true impasse. The Nevada Supreme Court has said that when that happens, the parents can go to the court on equal footing, and the court decides what's in the child's best interest. We've written separately about the factors Nevada courts weigh in school choice disputes.
A few habits make an impasse less likely:
Discuss school decisions early, well before enrollment and application deadlines.
Share the options in writing, with tour dates and enrollment details.
Listen to the other parent's concerns, and put your own reasons in writing too.
Keep the focus on your child's needs, not on winning the argument.
What not to do
Don't enroll first and tell the other parent later. With joint legal custody, a major decision made alone can come back to hurt you in court. Exceptions include charter schools with strict enrollment deadlines.
Don't use your kids as messengers. A parent shouldn't learn where their child goes to school from the child.
Don't block the other parent's access to records. Nevada law gives both parents access. When judges decide custody, they also consider which parent is more likely to allow the child frequent associations and a continuing relationship with the other parent, and how well the parents cooperate to meet the child's needs (NRS 125C.0035(4)(c), (e)).
Frequently asked questions
Can one parent choose a school without the other in Nevada? With joint legal custody, major decisions like school are supposed to be made together after the parents consult each other. If parents truly can't agree, they can ask the court to decide.
Does joint legal custody mean 50/50 time? No. Legal custody is about decisions, and physical custody is about time. Parents can share legal custody even when one parent has the child most of the time.
Can the school refuse to give me my child's records because I'm not the custodial parent? Nevada law says a parent can't be denied a child's school, medical or dental records for that reason alone (NRS 125C.005(2)).
Who makes everyday decisions when we share legal custody? Generally, the parent who has the child at the time makes the minor, day-to-day decisions.
Talk with a Las Vegas family law attorney about joint legal custody
Every case is different, and a Nevada family law attorney can tell you how this applies to you. If you're being left out of decisions about your child, or you and the other parent are stuck on a school choice, we can walk you through your options. Call (702) 996-6052 or request a consultation online.
This post is general information, not legal advice for your situation. It reflects Nevada law as of November 2026, and reading it doesn't create an attorney-client relationship.