NPO: Arkansas Favors Joint Custody

Article here. Excerpt:

'Arkansas enacted legislation, Act 1156, concerning child custody presumption in divorce cases. It specifies that in an action for divorce, an award of joint custody is favored in Arkansas.

Obviously, National Parents Organization would prefer a presumption of joint custody. But, this is a step. The legislation also stipulates that if one of the parents "demonstrates a pattern of willfully creating conflict," the court may change a joint custody order to a primary custody order and award that custody to the nondisruptive parent.

The act defines joint custody as, "the approximate and reasonable equal division of time with the child by both parents."'