Child Custody Agreement - New Jersey

PROPOSED CHILD CUSTODY AND PARENTING-TIME AGREEMENT

(New Jersey — subject to court review and entry)

1. Case and Family

Children:

The parents propose this plan for court review. It becomes enforceable as a
custody order only to the extent accepted and entered by the court.

2. Safety and Best-Interest Gate

Before using cooperative or direct-contact terms, counsel must review each
current factor in N.J.S.A. 9:2-4, including safety, domestic violence and child
abuse history, the child's relationships and needs, the child's preference
when the statutory capacity standard is met, home stability, education,
parental fitness, geographic proximity, prior care, employment
responsibilities, and the age and number of the children.

• ☐ No safety modification is requested after current review.

• ☐ Exchanges, communication, address disclosure, contact, or parenting time
  require safety terms stated in Exhibit A.

• ☐ A protective order or separate emergency application controls; attach and
  reconcile it before using this plan.

3. Legal Custody and Major Decisions

Select the proposed arrangement:

• ☐ Joint legal custody, with consultation on health, education, and general
  welfare as stated below.

• ☐ Sole legal custody to [PARENT], with the other parent's information and
  consultation rights stated below.

• ☐ Other arrangement: [TERMS AND BEST-INTEREST BASIS].

Emergency decisions may be made by the parent then caring for the child, with
notice and records provided as soon as safely practicable: [DETAILS].

Any court-ordered therapy must be addressed under the current provisions of
N.J.S.A. 9:2-4(g), including the statute's safety, good-cause, scientific-
validity, child-input, and domestic-violence or abuse protections. This private
plan does not authorize a prohibited therapy or override a court finding.

4. Residential and Parenting-Time Schedule

Primary address for school and administrative use: [________________________________].

Holidays and School Breaks

Holiday terms supersede the regular schedule only for the stated period.

5. Exchanges, Transportation, and Communication

Neither parent will use the child to carry legal, financial, or hostile
messages.

6. School, Health, and Activities

• School enrollment and access to records: [TERMS].
• Health-insurance responsibility: [TERMS SUBJECT TO THE SUPPORT ORDER].
• Routine appointments and notice: [TERMS].
• Emergency notice: [TERMS].
• Activities, cost approval, attendance, and transportation: [TERMS].
• Medication, allergy, disability, or special-needs plan: [TERMS].

Financial allocations must be consistent with the child-support order and any
later court order. This agreement does not privately modify support.

7. Travel, Residence, and Relocation

Routine travel notice and itinerary terms: [________________________________].

Passport possession and consent process: [________________________________].

Proposed residence change procedure: [________________________________].

No fixed relocation notice period or automatic consent rule is created here.
Before a move that may affect custody or parenting time, counsel must apply the
current governing statute, court rule, case law, and existing orders.

8. Changes and Disputes

Temporary schedule changes must be confirmed in writing. A temporary change
does not permanently amend the order unless the court enters an authorized
modification.

Dispute sequence, when safe and lawful:

1. Written identification of the disputed plan term;
2. Direct discussion or counsel communication;
3. Mediation or another court-approved process, if appropriate; and
4. Application to the court when agreement is not reached or urgent relief is
   required.

No private default, cure period, arbitration clause, fee-shifting term,
indemnity, liability cap, or jury waiver is included.

9. Court Submission

Requested court action:

• ☐ Approve and enter this plan as written.
• ☐ Approve the plan with the revisions in Exhibit B.
• ☐ Schedule a hearing on disputed provisions: [LIST].
• ☐ Reconcile this plan with an existing order: [IDENTIFY].

10. Signatures

The parents state that they have reviewed the completed plan and request court
consideration under the child's best interests.

Counsel approvals, if any: [________________________________].

Exhibit A — Safety Terms

[COMPLETE OR STATE “NONE”]

Exhibit B — Requested Revisions or Disputed Terms

[COMPLETE OR STATE “NONE”]

Official Source

• P.L.2025, c.316 — current amendment to N.J.S.A. 9:2-4