On an interim custody motion following separation, the father sought shared parenting while the mother sought to maintain the existing arrangement that limited the father’s parenting time.
The court considered the principle that interim orders should generally preserve the true status quo unless the child’s best interests require otherwise.
The judge found the relevant status quo was the parenting arrangement prior to the father being required to leave the matrimonial home, where both parents had significant involvement in caregiving.
Given the conflicting affidavit evidence and both parents’ demonstrated commitment to the child, the court ordered an interim shared parenting regime with alternating weeks.
The court also ordered that the child’s daycare not be changed pending further order and that daycare costs be shared equally.
