Mississippi

None

Mississippi is one of only 9 states lacking a presumptive parenting time adjustment formula; instead it relies on unnecessarily costly and lengthy court deviation procedures generally inaccessible to lower income parents. The lack of a presumptive PTA as an integral component of mandated presumptive child support guidelines arguably violates federal regulatory requirements.

Mississippi statutes list joint legal and physical custody of children first in the list of legal options. MISS. CODE ANN. § 93-5-24 Though this does not establish a legal preference or presumption, it might draw attention to this option.

Mississippi has no statutory preference for, or presumption of, shared parenting (joint legal custody and shared physical custody) for temporary or final orders.

Mississippi statutes do not explicitly provide for shared parenting during temporary orders.

Mississippi statutes do not require courts to consider “friendly parent” factors in awarding custody.

Mississippi statute does not contain any policy statement or other language encouraging shared parenting.