| Title 31 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes contain the | | | | parent petitions for joint custody, the court may award |
| laws and statutes about family matters. This section of | | | | it. The court will award joint custody if it is in the best |
| law includes child custody. Parents in the state who | | | | interest of the child. Joint custody means that parents |
| are involved in a custody situation should learn all of | | | | share legal custody and they work out a custody |
| the necessary information that is found in these | | | | schedule that lets both parents be involved with the |
| statutes--especially the information that applies when | | | | children. It doesn't have to mean that the parents each |
| making a parenting plan. Here is a brief overview of | | | | get equal time with the children. |
| some of the laws that affect the making of a Hawaii | | | | 3. Best interest of the child. Chapter 571-46 states that |
| custody agreement. | | | | the policy of Hawaii is to make all custody decisions |
| 1. The requirement of a parenting plan. Chapter | | | | with the best interest of the child in mind. Any custody |
| 571-46.5 contains a law that requires parents in a | | | | agreement that the court accepts must be made |
| custody situation to make a parenting plan. The plan | | | | according to the child's needs and for the child's best |
| may be general with the parents figuring out the details | | | | welfare. Some of the factors that the state considers |
| informally, or the plan can be detailed. A detailed plan | | | | that impacts the best interest of the child include: the |
| can include information about: a residential schedule, | | | | overall quality of the parent-child relationship; any |
| holiday planning, parental responsibility and decision | | | | history of abuse by either parent; the history of |
| making, relocation, right of first refusal, etc. The parents | | | | caregiving or parenting by each parent; each parents' |
| can work together and file a plan jointly, or each | | | | cooperate in developing a parenting plan that meets |
| parent can file an individual plan of what they want to | | | | the child's needs, interests, and schedule; the physical, |
| happen. | | | | safety, educational and emotional needs of the child; |
| 2. Joint custody. Chapter 571-46.1 contains the | | | | the child's relationship with a sibling; the mental health of |
| information about joint custody. In Hawaii, if either | | | | each parent; etc. |