A parenting plan or custody agreement is a document that addresses how the parents of minor children will share responsibility for the custody, support, and management of the children. Some states have a standard possession order (SPO) that addresses many of these issues. Courts often require each party to a divorce or child custody proceeding to submit a proposed parenting plan.

In New Jersey, a parenting plan or custody agreement is a crucial document in divorce or child custody proceedings. It outlines how parents will share responsibilities regarding their minor children, including physical custody (where the children will live), legal custody (decision-making authority for the children's welfare), visitation schedules, child support, and how future modifications will be handled. New Jersey does not use a standard possession order (SPO) like some other states. Instead, the state encourages parents to create a detailed parenting plan that serves the best interests of the child. New Jersey courts require each parent to submit a proposed parenting plan during custody disputes. If parents cannot agree on a plan, the court will intervene and establish a custody arrangement based on the child's best interests, considering factors such as the child's needs, the stability of each parent's home environment, the quality and continuity of the child's education, the fitness of each parent, the geographical proximity of the parents' homes, the extent and quality of the time spent with the child prior to or subsequent to the separation, the parents' employment responsibilities, and the age and number of the children.