The Benefits and Challenges of Joint Custody in New Jersey

Getting a divorce is already difficult enough without the added stress of having children involved. Looking at all your options, including joint custody, can help you determine what child custody arrangement is right for you and your children. Our family law attorneys can explain the benefits and challenges of joint custody in New Jersey.

What is Joint Custody?

First, it is important to distinguish the two different types of custody that make up joint custody. The two types of custody are legal custody and physical custody. Legal custody refers to the right and responsibility to determine major decisions such as health, education, and welfare for a child. Physical custody refers to with which parent the child will primarily live or whether they will live with each parent for equal amounts of time. Joint custody permits both parents to have either joint legal or joint physical custody, or both.

The Benefits of Joint Custody

The main advantage of joint custody is that the child will have continuing contact with and the parental insight of both their parents. Additionally, both parents will have a secured role in the child’s upbringing. This can create a stable environment for the child that is closer to what they were used to before the divorce and minimize the stress of divorce for the child.

The parents can split up the responsibility between themselves. Jointly sharing financial and parenting responsibilities can ease the burden of parenting, just like there was sharing of these responsibilities before the divorce. The parents share the responsibilities through a parenting plan that is required to be in writing. This will allow both parents to know exactly what their parental roles will be after the divorce.

The Challenges of Joint Custody

For joint custody to work. the parents must display the ability to cooperate, communicate, and agree in regard to making major decisions for the child. While the parents may not always see eye to eye, they must be able to compromise and prioritize the best interests of their child. This can cause challenges if one or both of the parents are not cooperating in creating a parenting plan or making major decisions for the child overall. When the parents have a combative relationship, arguments and conflicts can be a great challenge that create tension for both parents and the children involved.

There may be financial costs and time considerations that arise from when children must go between homes. There also may be challenges in general when it comes to maintaining two homes that are suitable for the couple’s children.

Call A New Jersey Attorney to Discuss the Benefits and Challenges of Joint Custody Today

Starting and address the custody process is challenging and complex. Seeking legal advice can help you determine what’s best for your and your children’s situation. A family law attorney can help, from giving advice on what type of custody you can pursue, to helping you create your parenting plan.

The journey ahead may seem uncertain, but we are here to help you navigate this new chapter in your and your child’s life. Call Moskowitz Law Group to learn more from our dedicated team.