Custody of children comes in a few different formats, and a common misunderstanding occurs around the phrase "joint custody". Under legal definitions this would mean that parents split their children's time equally between one another. In reality it is an arrangement in which one parent has the child live with them for a majority of the time, but both have an even amount of authority where all decisions about the child are concerned. When parents fill out and submit joint custody forms in the appropriate court system they are actually requesting that the court establish "joint legal custody" rather than any other alternative. This is a way for shared parenting to occur and can spare the child from many upsetting moments. Joint custody forms usually ask the parents to address specific as well as general issues, including religion, vacations and holidays, how expenses will be covered and more.