Dictionary of Law
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joint custody :: legal definition


Joint custody - n. in divorce actions, a decision by the court (often upon agreement of the parents) that the parents will share custody of a child. There are two types of custody, physical and legal. Joint physical custody (instead of one parent having custody with the other having visitation), does not mean exact division of time with each parent, but can be based on reasonable time with each parent either specifically spelled out (certain days, weeks, holidays, alternative periods) or based on stated guidelines and shared payment of costs of raising the child. Joint legal custody means that both parents can make decisions for the child, including medical treatment, but where possible they should consult the other. Upon the death or disability of either parent, legal custody will go to the remaining parent and will give the active parent the sole ability to act as parent for the child without further order of the court. The primary affect of this is a psychological benefit for the parent and the child, so that a child can be told that both parents cared for the child, even though the child had to live most of the time with one of them.

See also: child custody divorce and Related Law Terms ↓


Related Law Terms

abortion :: n. the termination of pregnancy by various means, ... ed abortion continue in the future.
ad litem :: adj. legal Latin meaning "for the purposes of the ... of age. See also: guardian ad litem
adoption :: n. the taking of a child into one's family, creati ... the child are met. See also: adopt
adultery :: n. consensual sexual relations when one of the par ... s and grist for scandal newspapers.
alimony :: n. support paid by one ex-spouse to the other as o ... ild support divorce spousal support
appeal :: 1) v. to ask a higher court to reverse the decisio ... ng, as in "he has filed an appeal."
authorities :: n. 1) previous decisions by courts of appeal which ... also: brief cite decision precedent
bigamy :: n. the condition of having two wives or two husban ... d to several husbands is polyandry.
brief :: 1) n. a written legal argument, usually in a forma ... another person. See also: precedent
child custody :: n. a court's determination of which parent, relati ... pport custody divorce joint custody
child support :: n. court-ordered funds to be paid by one parent to ... ild custody divorce spousal support
collateral :: 1) n. property pledged to secure a loan or debt, u ... ral to the Colorado divorce action.
competent :: adj. 1) in general, able to act in the circumstanc ... all bases. See also: evidence will
contract :: 1) n. an agreement with specific terms between two ... n oral contract unilateral contract
cooperative :: n. an association of individual businesses, farmer ... exes. See also: cooperative housing
dictum :: n. Latin for "remark," a comment by a judge in a d ... cta)." See also: dicta obiter dicta
divorce :: 1) n. the termination of a marriage by legal actio ... y separate property spousal support
domestic relations :: n. a polite term for the legal field of divorce, d ... port and alimony. See also: divorce
emancipation :: n. freeing a minor child from the control of paren ... vorced parent to pay child support.
foster child :: n. a child without parental support and protection ... local government or a state agency.
guardian :: n. a person who has been appointed by a judge to t ... torship. See also: conservator ward
hearsay rule :: n. the basic rule that testimony or documents whic ... interest dying declaration hearsay
heir :: n. one who acquires property upon the death of ano ... y pretermitted heir succession will
in loco parentis :: prep. (in loh-coh pah-rent-iss) Latin for "instead ... 5, if and when he needs legal help.
interlocutory decree :: n. a court judgment which is temporary and not int ... ppeared to waste the parties' time.
interrogatories :: n. a set of written questions to a party to a laws ... ing. See also: deposition discovery
issue :: 1) n. a person's children or other lineal descenda ... the body incorporation share stock
joint tenancy :: n. a crucial relationship in the ownership of real ... ty property tenancy in common title
kidnapping :: (also spelled kidnaping) n. the taking of a person ... but now applies to adults as well.
law :: n. 1) any system of regulations to govern the cond ... um maritime law natural law statute
law book :: n. any of numerous volumes dealing with law, inclu ... : common law law Shepardize statute
legal age :: n. the age at which a person is responsible for hi ... so: infancy juvenile court minority
legal separation :: n. a court-decreed right to live apart, with the r ... n is rarely used. See also: divorce
liability :: n. one of the most significant words in the field ... bility joint tortfeasors negligence
marriage :: n. the joining of a male and female in matrimony b ... of time without legal formalities.
motion for a summary judgment :: n. a written request for a judgment in the moving ... strict procedures. See also: motion
N.O.V. :: adj. shorthand acronym of Latin for non obstante v ... notwithstanding the verdict verdic
negligence :: n. failure to exercise the care toward others whic ... gence per se res ipsa loquitur tort
no fault divorce :: n. divorces (dissolutions) in which neither spouse ... and South Dakota. See also: divorce
on the merits :: adj. referring to a judgment, decision or ruling o ... s if this mistake had not occurred.
parens patriae :: (paa-rens pat-tree-eye) n. Latin for "father of hi ... pport custody divorce guardian ward
parental neglect :: n. a crime consisting of acts or omissions of a pa ... usive or sexually predatory person.
partner :: n. 1) one of the co-owners and investors in a "par ... ner limited partnership partnership
pretermitted heir :: n. the child of a person who has written a will in ... cified $10,000 each. See also: heir
rape :: 1) n. the crime of sexual intercourse (with actual ... See also: date rape statutory rape
record :: 1) v. (ree-cored) to put a document into the offic ... eeding race to the courthouse trial
retroactive :: adj. referring to a court's decision or a statute ... ospective." See also: ex post facto
sentence :: 1) n. the punishment given to a person convicted o ... ence restitution suspended sentence
separation agreement :: n. an agreement between two married people who hav ... divorce legal separation separation
trial :: n. the examination of facts and law presided over ... at a hearing held at a later time.
verdict :: n. the decision of a jury after a trial, which mus ... nt quotient verdict special verdict
ward :: n. 1) a person (usually a minor) who has a guardia ... ouncil district. See also: guardian
wrongful death :: n. the death of a human being as the result of a w ... ual beneficiaries (family members).

Popular Law Searches

legal definition ministerial act :: n. an act, particularly of a governmental employee ... exercising any individual judgment.
chancery legal definition :: n. a court that can order acts performed. Today ch ... ts in most states. See also: equity
testamentary disposition legal definition :: n. how the terms of a will divide the testator's ( ... named beneficiaries. See also: will
contract of sufferance :: n. a "hold-over" tenancy after a lease has expired ... y tenancy at will unlawful detainer
forthwith legal definition :: adv. a term found in contracts, court orders and s ... mediacy, with no excuses for delay.
forthwith definition legal :: adv. a term found in contracts, court orders and s ... mediacy, with no excuses for delay.
what is to wit in a legal contract :: prep. that is to say. Example: "the passengers in ... tty Bumgartner and Sherry Younger."
mirror wills legal definition :: n. the wills of a husband and wife which are ident ... d each names the other as executor.
clean hands doctrine latin :: n. a rule of law that a person coming to court wit ... ices. See also: affirmative defense
sine qua non only relates to contract law :: (see-nay kwah nahn) prep. Latin for "without which ... qua non of the injury to Playmate.

Other Law Terms - J

J :: n. abbreviation for Judge, as in the Hon. William ... as in the Hon. William B. Boone, J.
Jane Doe :: n. 1) a fictitious name used for a possible female ... lso: fictitious defendants John Doe
jaywalking :: n. walking across a street outside of marked cross ... jury to the jaywalker by a vehicle.
JD :: n. short for Juris Doctor, identifying the holder ... law degree. See also: Juris Doctor
jeopardy :: n. peril, particularly danger of being charged wit ... ar Evers. See also: double jeopardy
jobber :: n. a merchant who buys products (usually in bulk o ... buys and acts for specific clients.
John Doe :: n. 1) a fictitious name used for a possible male d ... lso: fictitious defendants Jane Doe
joinder :: n. the joining together of several lawsuits or sev ... er misjoinder multiplicity of suits
joinder of issue :: n. that point in a lawsuit when the defendant has ... matters are to be decided by trial.
joint :: adj., adv. referring to property, rights or obliga ... ncy joint venture tenancy in common
joint adventure :: n. when two or more people go together on a trip o ... e activity. See also: joint venture
joint and several :: adj. referring to a debt or a judgment for neglige ... ution contributory negligence joint
joint custody :: n. in divorce actions, a decision by the court (of ... em. See also: child custody divorce
joint enterprise :: n. a generic term for an activity of two or more p ... liability joint venture partnership
joint liability :: n. when two or more persons are both responsible f ... See also: joinder joint and several
joint powers agreement :: n. a contract between a city, a county and/or a sp ... istrict or other government entity.
joint tenancy :: n. a crucial relationship in the ownership of real ... ty property tenancy in common title
joint tortfeasors :: n. two or more persons whose negligence in a singl ... : comparative negligence negligence
joint venture :: n. an enterprise entered into by two or more peopl ... s terminated. See also: partnership
Jones Act :: n., adj. a federal law which covers injuries to cr ... ." See also: admiralty maritime law