Joint Custody Laws-child Custody Laws In The United States
When a relationship breaks down and there are children involved joint custody laws
and the child custody laws that will operate in your situation are sources of concern and worry for parents.
Child custody laws in the United States vary from state to state although they are drafted within similar overarching principles. Joint custody is a favored option and is the default option in many states in the U.S.-in 35 states to be precise together with the District of Colombia.
This essentially means that the laws of these states contain a strong presumption that the best type of custody when the relationship breaks up is that of joint custody. This means that the child custody laws of these 35 states see the father and mother as the joint natural custodians of the child and the effect of this is that both are held responsible for the care, welfare, support, and education etc of the child.
So where the parents are living apart the court will have to decide how this joint custody is given best effect. But the important thing to note that in making that decision the court will start from a neutral position, that is, nor favoring the mother over the father or vice versa. Each parent has equal powers, rights and responsibilities and if one parent should die or abandon the arrangement then custody of the child will devolve to the other parent.