Will a 50-50 child custody arrangement work for you and your ex?

On behalf of Barli & Associates LLC posted in child custody on Friday, May 11, 2018.

Everyone has a different opinion about child custody and which child custody arrangements are best after a divorce. Family psychologists and state family courts tend to agree that it’s in the child’s best interest to spend as much time as possible with both parents. You or your spouse might disagree with this assertion.

There is a growing trend toward parents setting up 50-50 physical custody parenting plans. In these parenting plans, the child has two homes and divides his or her time living between them. However, a New Jersey family law court may judge situations to be more suitable for sole physical custody.

Family law courts believe that if the parents are unable to get along – i.e., if they have a caustic and incendiary relationship – it will interfere with the smooth functioning of the 50-50 child custody arrangement. Judges may also worry that if they approve of joint physical custody in these contexts, and the parents cannot make decisions together, that the parents won’t be able to agree on matters like where to do child custody exchanges, where the child should go to school and questions about medical care.

Because courts view child custody cases like this, divorcing parents who want 50-50 custody may want to show the court that they are good at reaching accord, that they treat one another respectfully and that they’re willing to work together as a team. And, if a respectful relationship is impossible, the parents may want to look at other more realistic solutions to their child custody dilemmas.