Joint legal custody is older language that corresponds to joint legal decision making or a 50-50 parenting schedule under current Arizona law. The terms mean the same thing; both parents share the authority to make major nonemergency decisions for their child or share time with their child equally.

Arizona moved away from the word custody in family law. Joint legal decision making reflects the same rights as what used to be called joint legal custody. Current orders and pleadings use the Arizona statutory term.

See the Joint Legal Decision Making entry in this glossary for a full discussion of what shared decision making means in practice, when it is appropriate, and what tie-breaking provisions should look like.