Terms Used In California Codes > Welfare and Institutions Code > Division 9 > Part 3 > Chapter 12 > Article 1 - General

• custody: means the legal right to custody of the child unless that right is held jointly by two or more persons, in which case "custody" means the physical custody of the child by one of the persons sharing the right to custody. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 17.1
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.