There are three basic custody arrangements in Utah. One is called standard parenting time. Standard parenting time means the non-custodial parent gets every other Friday to Sunday and a weekly Wednesday night visit. Utah statutes claim standard parenting time is for the best interest of the children and remains common as many older cases have settled under that custody arrangement.
A few years ago, the legislature passed a modified standard parenting time arrangement based around joint custody. This modified standard schedule means the non-custodial parent has every other weekend from Friday to Monday morning, and Wednesday to Thursday overnight each week. This means the child has two additional overnight stays with the child (bi-weekly) compared to a standard parenting time arrangement.
The idea behind joint custody was to give the kids an opportunity to experience more of both the exciting and boring times in both parents’ homes. This helps so that one parent doesn’t get stuck doing all the heavy lifting while the other only does fun activities while spending weekends with the children. It also helps both parents feel more connected and involved in their children’s lives.