RI H7821

Establishes a rebuttable presumption that joint legal custody and equally shared parenting time is in the best interest of the child, which can be overcome by a preponderance of evidence

Requires family courts to give equal consideration to each parent when determining custody arrangements

When deviation from equal parenting time is warranted, courts must construct a parenting schedule that maximizes each parent's time with the child while ensuring the child's welfare

Specifies eight factors courts must consider in custody determinations, including parental requests, child's preference, relationships with family members, adjustment to home/school/community, mental and physical health, home stability, parental moral fitness, and each parent's willingness to facilitate the child's relationship with the other parent

Grants parents not receiving joint custody or shared parenting time the right to reasonable visitation, unless the court finds visitation would seriously endanger the child's physical, mental, moral, or emotional health