What is Joint Custody?

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Generally speaking, joint custody refers to any situation where both parents have authority to control and supervise their child, and where the child’s physical presence is shared.

Joint legal custody means that both parents share the right and responsibility to make decisions regarding the child’s health, education and welfare. This includes decisions such as what school the child will attend, which doctors the child will see, and what sort of medical treatment the child will receive.

A joint physical custody award means each parent has “significant periods” of physical custody, and that custody is shared in such a way as to assure the child “frequent and continuing contact with both parents.”