News

Joint Custody Legislation

Parents of Minnesota are seeking a change in custody law that promotes "family", is "family friendly" and minimizes the risk to children of not having two active parents in their lives.  We believe this change should be balanced, assume both parents are equally important to a child, empower both parents, help parents to develop a parenting plan, discourage relocation in a shared parenting plan and discourage the win-lose situation and bias in the courts.

A Minnesota law that recognizes both parent's importance in the raising of their children and maximizes the amount of time a child has with both parents is a critical and strong beginning. The encouragement of effective mediation and equal shared parenting plan will be a positive and beneficial change for children and parents of divorce and paternity cases in Minnesota.

More specifically we are seeking a change in court procedures by requiring the court to make specific findings as to why they didn't order joint physical custody instead of the current law/practice of making findings as to why they did order joint custody.

We petition the Minnesota Legislature and Governor to pass a law that will direct the courts to provide minor children with frequent, meaningful and continuing contact with both their parents and encourage parents to share in the equal rights and responsibilities of rearing their children following divorce or paternity cases.  We believe this law should expressly provide that joint physical custody and substantially equal parenting time is in the best interest of a child unless there is evidence that such a custody arrangement would be harmful to the child's growth and development.

Simple Step You Can Take as an Advocate for JPC
Sign the National Shared Parenting Petition

  Big News

2013-2014
Minnesota will not have a joint physical custody/equal shared parenting bill in 2011. Senate leadership advised the public that no social issues would be considered in 2013. Collaborative efforts with all stakeholders are underway to prepare for a bill in 2014.

2011-2012 MN State Legislative Session
Rep. Peggy Scott (R) has authored HF322, (bi-partisan co-authors available on link)
For audio and video of House Civil Law Hearings (Jan 26, 2011, Feb 8, 2011)
Sen. Gretchen Hoffman (R) has authored SF1168 and SF1402 (bi-partisan co-authors available on link)
(Senate chief author changed to newly elected Sen Pam Wolf, due to complexities with the legislative rules at the end of the session, Chief Senate author then changed to seasoned Sen Michael Jungbauer.)