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Child support is determined by a formula based largely on the income of the parties and the custody determination. Parties cannot bargain away or waive the right to child support; child support belongs to the child and a parent cannot decide s/he does not want child support. The formula is mandatory unless the parties can show there is a justifiable reason to deviate from the formula. 

If the child spends more than 128 overnights with the parent that pays child support, child support may be reduced based on a calculation using the joint economic responsibility formula, which means that the support obligation will go down.

In general, courts favor granting both parents joint legal and physical custody absent a showing that one of the parents is unfit. Merely stating that the child prefers one parent over the other or that one parent is a better parent than the other is not enough.

Joint custody may be joint legal custody and/or joint physical custody. Joint legal custody is routinely awarded to both parties and refers to both parents’ right and obligation to make decisions about their child(ren)’s upbringing, including schooling, medical care and religious upbringing. The parents must work with one another and consult with one another about these types of decisions. If the parties cannot agree and work together, the parties may file a motion with the court to decide. Neither, however, can make a decision on their own without the consent of the other party.