JOINT PARENTING AGREEMENT
GENERAL
JOINT PARENTING AGREEMENT
The following is submitted to the court by Agreement
of ________________________ (Name),
hereinafter referred to as Mother, and __________________________ (Name) hereinafter referred to as Father,
as a proposed plan for the sharing of custodial and child care responsibilities
and describing custodial and visitation residential periods under _______________________
(Applicable Statute). The terms of the parties' Joint Parenting
Agreement, which will be incorporated into a subsequent Judgment for
Dissolution of Marriage determining custody, are as follows:
I CUSTODY
A. The
parties agree to have joint legal custody of minor child __________________ (Name of child) born __________ (Child's
birth date).
__________________ (Father or Mother)
will be the primary residential parent and will have physical possession of the
minor child at all times subject to _____________ (Father or Mother) having physical possession on the
schedule of Paragraph B.
B. The
parties agree to the following schedule for the non-primary residential parent
to have possession of the child:
1. _________________________________________________
(Delineate schedule).
2. __________ (Father
or Mother) will have physical possession of the child on alternate
legal holidays as set forth herein:
Holiday Even
No. Years Odd No. Years
(Father or
Mother) (Father or Mother)
New Year’s Day __________ __________
Martin Luther King Day __________ __________
Presidents’ Day __________ __________
Easter __________ __________
Memorial Day __________ __________
Fourth of July __________ __________
Labor Day __________ __________
Veterans Day __________ __________
Thanksgiving __________ __________
Christmas Eve __________ __________
Christmas Day __________ __________
Child’s Birthday __________ __________
3. Father will have physical possession of the child
every Father’s Day.
4. Mother will have physical possession of the child
every Mother’s Day.
5. The parent not having primary physical residence
of the child will have physical possession of the child for two one-week
periods each year during the child's summer vacation. hat parent will give the
parent having the child's primary physical residence written notice on or
before __________ (Date), each
year as to the specific dates for summer visitation.
C. Both Father and Mother will use their best
efforts to foster the respect, love and affection of the child towards each
parent and will cooperate fully in implementing a relationship with the child
that will give that child the maximum feeling of security possible. The parties will further cooperate fully in
implementing the visitation and vacation programs set forth in this agreement
to accommodate the child's social and school commitments.
D. Both Father and Mother will keep each other
informed as to the exact place where each of them resides, the telephone
numbers of their residences, their places of employment, the telephone numbers
of their places of employment and if either party travels out-of-town for any
extended period of time, then that party will notify the other of his or her
destination and provide a telephone number where he or she can be reached.
E. Each party will advise the other of any serious
illness or injury suffered by the child as soon as possible after learning of
it; each party will direct all doctors involved in the care and treatment of
the child to give to the other party all information regarding any illness or
injury if requested by the other party.
F. The parent having the child’s primary physical
residence must advise the other parent of which elementary and high schools the
child will attend. The residential parent will have the right to make any final
decisions with respect to the decision of which school the child will attend.
G. The parties, by written agreement, will have the
right to alter, modify and otherwise arrange for other specific visitation
periods that those shown above, and on such terms and conditions as are
conducive to the best interests and welfare of the child. In the event a
visitation period is made unavailable by virtue of serious illness or injury of
the child, the parties will cooperate to implement a reasonable substitute
visitation period, bearing in mind the best interests of the child.
H. If the child becomes seriously ill or injured
during the time they are with the nonresidential parent during exercise of that
parent’s visitation period, that parent must notify the residential parent as
soon as possible. Nonresidential parent
will give residential parent the details of the illness or injury and the name
and telephone number of the attending physician, if any.
I. The child may contact either parent at any time
he or she desires.
II. DISPUTE RESOLUTION
The parties agree that in the event that a dispute
arises over any terms and conditions of this agreement, except for the issue of
child support, the parties will submit said dispute to a mediator for
resolution prior to filing any pleading with the court. Both parties agree that the mediator will
become a witness to any such future proceedings, and make whatever report the
mediator deems appropriate to the court.
Both parties waive any confidentiality with reference to said mediator,
and the mediator will be permitted, on appropriate petition, to testify in any
court proceeding as a witness concerning any dispute between the parties.
In the event a dispute arises by and between the
parties, the parties will select a mediator.
If they cannot agree on a mediator, a judge from the court with
jurisdiction over this matter will appoint one or that mediators successor, as
the case may be.
III. PERIODIC REVIEW
A. The parties have considered seriously the
previously delineated legal and physical custody and visitation provisions,
determining that they are in the child's best interests. The parties recognize
that the custody provisions and visitation schedule as provided in this
agreement may require future adjustments and changes to reflect the child's best
interests in the future in light of the child's age and in light of either
parent’s future work or school schedule.
This joint parenting agreement will be reviewed by the parties on an
annual basis on the anniversary of its entry as a court order to determine
whether the provisions continue to successfully meet the needs and requirements
of the child and the parents, and to determine whether alternative arrangements
might better suit future circumstances.
The parties may review this joint parenting agreement if required by
changed circumstances at any appropriate time.
B. Either parent who wishes to subsequently modify
the terms of this joint parenting agreement must submit the proposed
modification to the other parent in writing and the parties will consult among
themselves first before any mediation or court action is taken.
The parties to this agreement on behalf of their
minor child respectfully submit the foregoing joint parenting agreement for
this courts approval and incorporation in the Judgment for Dissolution of
Marriage that may be entered in the pending proceeding.
_____________________________________ ___________________
Signature Date
_____________________________________ ___________________
Signature Date
