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52 articles
Alabama child custody guide: best interests standard, joint custody conditional presumption, relocation notice rules, and how to modify an order under the McLendon standard.
Alaska child custody guide: 8 statutory best-interests factors under AS 25.20.090, no joint custody presumption, domestic violence rebuttable presumption, relocation, and modification rules.
Arizona decides child custody by the best interests of the child under ARS 25-403. Learn the 11 factors, parenting-time rules, relocation notice, and how to modify an order.
Arkansas presumes joint custody with equal parenting time under Act 604 of 2021. Learn the best-interests factors, how to rebut the presumption, relocation rules, and modification standards.
California decides custody by the child's best interests under Family Code 3011. No 50/50 presumption. AB 957 bars courts from considering gender identity or sexual orientation.
Compare child custody laws across all 50 states and DC: best-interests factors, legal vs. physical custody, joint-custody presumptions, and UCCJEA jurisdiction rules.
Colorado calls custody 'parental responsibilities' and decides cases by the child's best interests under CRS 14-10-124. No equal-time presumption. Relocation rules explained.
Connecticut decides child custody by the best interests of the child under CGS 46b-56. Learn about legal vs. physical custody, joint custody rules, relocation, and how to modify an order.
Delaware decides child custody by best interests under tit. 13 sec. 722. Learn about legal custody, residential arrangements, the 8-factor test, relocation rules, and how to modify an order.
DC child custody law explained: the rebuttable joint-custody presumption under D.C. Code 16-914, 17 best-interests factors, modification, and relocation rules.
Florida presumes equal time-sharing since 2023 (HB 1301). Learn how courts decide parental responsibility, time-sharing, relocation, and modification under F.S. 61.13.
Georgia has no joint-custody presumption; courts use OCGA 19-9-3 best-interests factors. Children 14+ may elect a parent. Learn custody, relocation, and modification rules.
Hawaii decides custody by the best interests of the child under HRS 571-46. Learn the 16 factors, joint custody rules, relocation rights, and how to modify an order.
Idaho decides custody by the best interests of the child under Idaho Code 32-717. Learn the 7 factors, joint custody rules, relocation provisions, and how to modify an order.
Illinois uses 'allocation of parental responsibilities' and 'parenting time' instead of custody. Learn how courts decide best interests, the 2-year modification bar, and relocation rules.
Indiana custody law has no presumption favoring either parent. Learn the 9 best-interests factors, joint custody rules, 90-day relocation notice, and how to modify an order.
Iowa decides custody by the best interests of the child, using 'physical care.' Joint physical care is rebuttably presumed when joint legal is awarded and requested.
Kansas uses an 18-factor best-interests test for child custody. Joint legal custody is the statutory first choice but not a presumption; no 50/50 time rule exists.
Kentucky presumes joint custody and equally shared parenting time since 2018 (HB 528). Learn how courts apply KRS 403.270, the DV exception, and modification rules.
Louisiana presumes joint custody under Civil Code Art. 132. Learn how courts designate the domiciliary parent, apply 13 best-interests factors, and handle relocation.
Maine decides child custody as 'parental rights and responsibilities' using 19 best-interests factors. No 50/50 presumption. Learn the law, types, modification, and relocation rules.
Maryland custody law now has 16 codified best-interests factors (HB 1191, eff. Oct. 1, 2025). No joint-custody presumption. Learn legal vs physical custody, relocation, and modification rules.
Massachusetts child custody law uses the best-interests standard under G.L. c. 208, §31. Learn types of custody, the MCCJA (not UCCJEA), relocation rules, and how to modify a custody order.
Michigan uses 12 best-interests factors under MCL 722.23 to decide custody. Learn about joint custody, the established custodial environment doctrine, and relocation rules.
Minnesota decides custody using 12 statutory best-interests factors under Minn. Stat. §518.17. Learn about joint legal custody presumption, parenting time, relocation rules, and modification.
Mississippi Chancery Courts apply the 12 Albright factors to decide custody. Learn about joint custody rules, Miss. Code §93-5-24, relocation, and modification standards.
Missouri presumes equal parenting time since 2023 (SB 35). Learn how courts apply the 8 best-interests factors, relocation rules, and modification standards.
Montana resolves custody through a parenting plan under MCA 40-4-212. Learn the 13 best-interests factors, relocation notice rules, and how to modify a plan.
Nebraska decides custody by the best interests of the child under the Parenting Act (§43-2923). Learn about joint custody, parenting plans, relocation, and modification rules.
Nevada prefers joint physical custody under NRS 125C.003 unless not in the child's best interests. Learn the 146-day rule, relocation requirements, and modification standard.
New Hampshire decides parental rights and responsibilities using best interests of the child. Learn the 2025 equal-parenting-time rules, joint decision-making presumption, relocation notice, and modification standards.
New Jersey decides child custody using 14 best-interests factors under N.J.S.A. 9:2-4 with no joint-custody presumption. Learn about relocation rules after Bisbing, modification standards, and parenting time.
New Mexico presumes joint custody is in the child's best interests (NMSA 40-4-9.1). Learn the factors courts weigh, the modification standard, and relocation rules.
New York decides custody by best interests under DRL 70/240 with no statutory factor list. Learn the Eschbach factors, Tropea relocation standard, and modification rules.
North Carolina decides custody by the best interests of the child under G.S. §50-13.2. No joint-custody presumption. Learn legal vs. physical custody, relocation rules, and how to modify an order.
North Dakota decides custody by the best interests of the child under NDCC §14-09-06.2, weighing 13 factors. No 50/50 presumption. Learn residential responsibility, relocation rules, and modification.
Ohio calls it 'allocation of parental rights.' Learn how courts decide shared parenting, the 10 best-interests factors, relocation rules, and how to modify an order.
Oklahoma now presumes joint custody and 50/50 parenting time under HB 1082 (eff. Nov. 1, 2025). Learn what rebuts the presumption and how modification works.
Oregon courts decide custody on 6 best-interests factors (ORS 107.137). Joint custody requires both parents' agreement. Learn Oregon's rules on parenting time and relocation.
Pennsylvania custody law uses 12 best-interests factors under 23 Pa.C.S. 5328 (Act 11 of 2025, eff. 8/29/2025). No joint-custody presumption. Learn PA rules and relocation procedure.
Rhode Island custody is decided by the Pettinato 8-factor best-interests test. No joint-custody presumption. Learn the rules, modification standard, and relocation process.
South Carolina custody uses 17 statutory best-interests factors under S.C. Code 63-15-240. No joint-custody presumption. Learn the rules, relocation factor, and modification standard.
South Dakota child custody law explained: best interests standard, no joint-custody presumption (SDCL 25-4A-26), 5 statutory factors, relocation rules, and how to modify an order.
Tennessee child custody explained: permanent parenting plan, primary residential parent, 17 best-interests factors (TCA 36-6-106, eff. 7/1/2025), relocation rules, and how to modify an order.
Texas uses 'conservatorship' and 'possession and access.' Learn the joint managing conservator presumption, Standard Possession Order, and best interests factors.
Utah presumes joint legal custody under Title 81 Ch. 9 (eff. 9/1/2024). Learn the best interests factors, relocation notice rule, and parent-time standards.
Vermont uses 'parental rights and responsibilities' instead of custody. Learn the 9 best-interests factors, the no-joint-presumption rule, and how courts decide.
Virginia weighs 10 factors under Va. Code 20-124.3 with no joint-custody presumption. Learn how courts decide custody, relocation rules, and modification standards.
Washington decides custody through a permanent parenting plan under RCW 26.09.187. No 50/50 presumption. Learn the 7 best-interests factors, relocation rules, and how to modify.
West Virginia presumes equal 50/50 custodial time since 2022 (SB 463). Learn how courts allocate custodial responsibility, the best-interests factors, and relocation rules.
Wisconsin presumes joint legal custody but not equal placement time. Learn how courts apply 16 best-interests factors, the relocation rule, and modification standards.
Wyoming's SF0117 (eff. 7/1/2025) presumes shared custody: joint legal plus equal physical time. Learn the exceptions, best-interests factors, and modification rules.