Mediation refers to the process that involves intercession of an independent third party to aid parents in making decisions about their custody rights. It can help speed up the process of coming to an agreement of both parties. Once an agreement has been reached and approved by the court, the terms of this agreement can be immediately implemented. Setting aside their differences, and with the help of their respective attorneys, they arrive on a shared custody. Basically, they would agree to a 50/50 legal as well as the physical custody of the children. With this mutual decision, these kinds of parents have nothing in their minds but the welfare of their children. When disputing such issues, you need to know and understand a few things to avoid further conflicts. In any custody battle, the court decides which parent must get custody according to the best interests of the child. The court determines it based on various factors such as the main caretaker of the child, the wishes of the child, the home environment of each parent, the willingness of a parent to nurture a good relationship with the other parent, the character and behavior of each parent, and any case of abuse or neglect of each parent in the past. Manage your schedule so that you won t have a hard time adjusting when your ex-spouse wants to switch weekdays or weekends to spend with your children. Now, if the court asks you why you deserve the custody of your children, you can confidently tell the judge that as a parent, you always make sure that your schedule works. Doing so can be very challenging, so here are some tips to guide you through understanding the legal conditions that govern the custody of your child. Consult the Court of Jurisdiction To understand custody laws, you must consult first the court of jurisdiction. It is because custody laws vary from state to state. Aside from the Internet, you can also read a lot of parenting magazines where there are feature stories on legal issues that concerns any family such as child custody. Here, you can read first hand information from people who have done it themselves so you will learn how will you get started on your own child custody battle.