1. The court, insofar as is reasonable and in the best interest of the child, shall order the custody award, including liberal visitation rights where appropriate, which will assure the child the opportunity for the maximum continuing physical and emotional contact with both parents after the parents have separated or dissolved the marriage, unless direct physical harm or significant emotional harm to the child, other children, or a parent is likely to result from such contact with one parent, and which will encourage parents to share the rights and responsibilities of raising the child. The court shall consider the denial by one parent of the child's opportunity for maximum continuing contact with the other parent, without just cause, a significant factor in determining the proper custody arrangement. Unless otherwise ordered by the court in the custody decree, both parents shall have legal access to information concerning the child, including but not limited to medical, educational and law enforcement records.
2. On the application of either parent, the court shall consider granting joint custody in cases where the parents do not agree to joint custody. If the court does not grant joint custody under this subsection, the court shall cite clear and convincing evidence, pursuant to the factors in subsection 3, that joint custody is unreasonable and not in the best interest of the child to the extent that the legal custodial relationship between the child and a parent should be severed. Before ruling upon the joint custody petition in these cases, the court may require the parties to participate in custody mediation counseling to determine whether joint custody is in the best interest of the child. The court may require the child's participation in the mediation counseling insofar as the court determines the child's participation is advisable.
The costs of custody mediation counseling shall be paid in full or in part by the parties and taxed as court costs.
3. In considering what custody arrangement under subsection 2 is in the best interest of the minor child, the court shall consider the following factors:
a. Whether each parent would be a suitable custodian for the child.
b. Whether the psychological and emotional needs and development of the child will suffer due to lack of active contact with and attention from both parents.
c. Whether the parents can communicate with each other regarding the child's needs.
d. Whether both parents have actively cared for the child before and since the separation.
e. Whether each parent can support the other parent's relationship with the child.
f. Whether the custody arrangement is in accord with the child's wishes or whether the child has strong opposition, taking into consideration the child's age and maturity.
g. Whether one or both the parents agree or are opposed to joint custody.
h. The geographic proximity of the parents.
i. Whether the safety of the child, other children, or the other parent will be jeopardized by the awarding of joint custody or by unsupervised or unrestricted visitation.
4. Subsection 3 shall not apply when parents agree to joint custody.
5. Joint legal custody does not require joint physical care. When the court determines such action would be in the best interest of the child, physical care may be given to one joint custodial parent and not to the other. If one joint custodial parent is awarded physical care, the court shall hold that parent responsible for providing for the best interest of the child. However, physical care given to one parent does not affect the other parent's rights and responsibilities as a legal custodian of the child. Rights and responsibilities as legal custodian of the child include, but are not limited to, equal participation in decisions affecting the child's legal status, medical care, education, extracurricular activities, and religious instruction.
6. When the parent awarded custody or physical care of the child cannot act as custodian or caretaker because the parent has died or has been judicially adjudged incompetent, the court shall award custody including physical care of the child to the surviving parent unless the court finds that such an award is not in the child's best interest.
[82 Acts, ch 1250, § 2]
84 Acts, ch 1088, § 2, 3, 4, 5; 85 Acts, ch 67, § 57, 58; 86 Acts, ch 1179, § 5, 6
Referred to in § 598.21
Enactment of subsection 1 of this section constitutes a substantial change in the circumstances authorizing a court to modify a child custody order pursuant to § 598.21 and ch 598A; 84 Acts, ch 1088, § 6
Iowa General Assembly
Search: Iowa Code 1995
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