A joint physical custody agreement can give each parent equal time with their child, or it can give one parent majority of the time and the other parent with just some time.
Not exact matches
Family courts in Illinois prefer to award parents
joint legal
custody, noting that
joint physical custody should be determined by the parents»
agreement or the court's order.
Many variations come into play when deciding if the
agreement will grant the parents sole or
joint legal or
physical custody.
In Long Island, New York,
physical custody refers to the place where the child primarily lives regardless of whether there is a
joint custody agreement between the parents.
In
joint custody agreements, which courts often favor, both parents typically share legal
custody of the children; however, depending on the state, it can also mean the parents share both
physical and legal
custody.
Absent a
joint custody agreement by the parents that includes an unequal
physical custody arrangement, a judge is now required to order
joint custody with an equal amount of parenting time, regardless of where the parent lives, unless one parent is ruled to be unfit.
Although a
joint legal
custody agreement refers specifically to legal
custody, it is possible to address both legal and
physical custody in a single document.
Before you draft a
joint legal
custody agreement, you must determine if you will address the issue of shared
physical custody or sole
physical custody in this
agreement.
If you and your spouse are able to negotiate an
agreement that calls for
joint physical custody, then you and your spouse may create your own plan for a
joint parenting schedule as long as it serves the best interest of your child or children.
Title 25, Chapter 4, Article 1, A.R.S. Section 25 - 403.02 defines the essentials of the parenting plan, which includes each parent's rights and responsibilities in terms of personal care and decision making in the areas of education, healthcare and religion; a detailed schedule of the
physical residence of the child throughout the year; prescribed courses of action when changes need to be made to the
agreement or if the
agreement is broken by one party; and a statement from both parties acknowledging that
joint custody is not defined by equal parenting time.
If the parents fail to reach an
agreement for
joint legal
custody and
joint physical custody, and refuse to cooperate with each other in negotiations, the judge determines what is in the best interest of the child.
Most
joint custody agreements will grant both parents with
joint physical custody of the child while granting only one parent with legal
custody of the child.
When parents agree that this is what they want for their children, and if they incorporate a
joint physical custody plan into their marital settlement
agreement, judges will typically sign the
agreement into a divorce judgment.
When there is no such
agreement or order, or when
joint custody applies, the custodial parent is considered to be the parent who has
physical custody of the child for most of the year.
Parents can negotiate the terms of both
joint legal
custody and
joint physical custody in a
custody agreement before they seek court approval.