Wiktionary
n. An arrangement whereby the mother and the father share the physical and legal custody of a child.
Wikipedia
Joint custody is a court order whereby custody of a child is awarded to both parties. In joint custody both parents are custodial parents and neither parent is a non-custodial parent, or, in other words, the child has two custodial parents. In the United States, many states recognize two forms of joint custody, which include joint physical custody (called also "shared custody" or "shared placement") and joint legal custody. In joint physical custody, the actual lodging and care of the child is shared according to a court-ordered custody schedule. In joint legal custody, both parents share the ability to have access to their children's records, such as educational records, health records, and other records.
Usage examples of "joint custody".
After the judge denied the petition for joint custody, Dan saw Berlow in the courthouse men's room.
When the legal system proved slow enough to try his short-fuse patience and when judges admonished him for his behavior in their courtrooms, he argued his case in personal confrontations with Thalia, often in public places, red-faced and shouting threats, which resulted in the issuance of restraining orders that diminished his chances of obtaining joint custody.
A separation of a thousand miles rendered joint custody impossible on any practical level.
Paul had been married to a nice lady named Carol who worked for CNN, and Paul had joint custody of his two sons, and his life was governed by his separation agreement and by Coca-Cola.
If I stayed on for say, ten years and applied for joint custody with you, most of Gorgon's objections would be invalid.
The judge followed my recommendations: Both parents needed extensive child-rearing education before joint custody had a chance of working.
But the situation was so delicate and the clash of authority might so easily have resulted in bloodshed that it was finally agreed by all parties that the best thing to do was to have the prisoner returned to Houston in the JOINT custody of Captain Hughes of the Rangers and the United States Marshal.