{"data":{"id":"us-pa/23-pa.c.s.-5331","jurisdiction":"us-pa","citation":"23 Pa.C.S. § 5331","heading":"Parenting plan.","body":"(a) Purpose.--In a contested custody proceeding, the court may require the parties to submit parenting plans for the care and custody of the child to aid the court in resolving the custody dispute. A parenting plan and the position of a party as set forth in that parenting plan shall not be admissible as evidence by another party.\n(b) Contents.--A parenting plan shall include the following:\n(1) The schedule for personal care and control of the child, including parenting time, holidays and vacations.\n(2) The education and religious involvement, if any, of the child.\n(3) The health care of the child.\n(4) Child-care arrangements.\n(5) Transportation arrangements.\n(6) A procedure by which proposed changes, disputes and alleged breaches of the custody order may be adjudicated or otherwise resolved through mediation, arbitration or other means.\n(7) Any matter specified by the court.\n(8) Any other matter that serves the best interest of the child.\n(c) Form.--If the court orders the parties to propose a parenting plan, it shall be submitted to the court in substantially the following form:\nCAPTION\nPARENTING PLAN\nThis parenting plan involves the following child/children:\nChild's Name Age Where does this child live?\n1................... .............. ...........................\n2................... .............. ...........................\n3................... .............. ...........................\nIf you have children not addressed by this parenting plan, name here:\nChild's Name Age Where does this child live?\n1................... .............. ...........................\n2................... .............. ...........................\n3................... .............. ...........................\nLegal Custody (who makes decisions about certain things):\nCircle one\nDiet.......... Both parties decide together / Plaintiff / Defendant\nReligion....... Both parties decide together / Plaintiff / Defendant\nMedical Care... Both parties decide together / Plaintiff / Defendant\nMental Health Care... Both parties decide together / Plaintiff / Defendant\nDiscipline..... Both parents decide together / Plaintiff / Defendant\nChoice of School.... Both parents decide together / Plaintiff / Defendant\nChoice of Study..... Both parents decide together / Plaintiff / Defendant\nSchool Activities... Both parents decide together / Plaintiff / Defendant\nSports Activities... Both parents decide together / Plaintiff / Defendant\nAdditional Items... Both parents decide together / Plaintiff / Defendant\nExplain what process you will use to make decisions?\n(For example, the parent confronted with or anticipating the choice will call the other parent when the choice presents itself, and the other parent must agree or disagree within 24 hours of any deadline)\n...............................................................\n...............................................................\nPhysical Custody (where the child/children live)\nThe child's/children's residence is with........................\nDescribe which days and which times of the day the child/children will be with each person:\nSunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday\n........................................................\nDescribe where and when the child/children will be dropped off and/or picked up (day and time of day)?\nDrop-Off\nWhere...................................................\nWhen....................................................\n........................................................\nPick-Up\nWhere ...................................................\nWhen ....................................................\n.........................................................\nIf one of you doesn't show up, how long will the other wait?.......................................................\nIf there are any extraordinary costs (taxi, train, airplane, etc.), who will pay for which costs?\n...........................................................\n...........................................................\nHOLIDAYS\nWhere will the child/children stay?\nHOLIDAY YEAR A YEAR B EVERY YEAR\nMartin Luther King Day .......... .......... ...........\nPresident's Day .......... .......... ...........\nEaster .......... .......... ...........\nMemorial Day .......... .......... ...........\nFourth of July .......... .......... ...........\nLabor Day .......... .......... ...........\nYom Kippur .......... .......... ...........\nRosh Hashanah .......... .......... ...........\nThanksgiving .......... .......... ...........\nVacation after Thanksgiving .......... .......... ...........\nChristmas Vacation .......... .......... ...........\nKwanzaa .......... .......... ...........\nNew Year's Eve/Day .......... .......... ...........\nSpring Vacation .......... .......... ...........\nEaster Sunday .......... .......... ...........\nChild's Birthday .......... .......... ...........\nMother's Day .......... .......... ...........\nFather's Day .......... .......... ...........\nOther .......... .......... ...........\nOther .......... .......... ...........\nOther .......... .......... ...........\nSummer Vacation Plans\n.............................................................\n.............................................................\nSpecial Activities or School Activities\nWill both of you attend?\nChild's Name Activity If not, which of you will attend?\n................. .......... ..................................\n................. .......... ..................................\n................. .......... ..................................\nTemporary changes to this parenting schedule\nFrom time to time, one of you might want or need to rearrange the parenting time schedule due to work, family or other events. You can attempt to agree on these changes. If you cannot agree, the parent receiving the request will make the final decision.\nThe parent asking for the change will ask......in person........by letter/mail.....by phone\nNo later than\n....12 hours..... 24 hours.... 1 week..... 1 month\nThe parent being asked for a change will reply\n.... in person..... by letter/mail..... by phone\nNo later than\n..... 12 hours....... 24 hours........ 1 week....... 1 month\nMay parents contact one another?..............................\nWhen the child/children is/are with one of you, how may they contact the other parent?.......................................\n................................................................\nWhen and how may .............................contact the child?\n................................................................\n................................................................\nIn the event that proposed changes, disputes or alleged breaches of this parenting plan and custody order are necessary or desired, the parties agree that such changes will be addressed by the following method (specify method of arbitration, mediation, court action, etc.):\n................................................................\n................................................................\nThe following matter or matters as specified by the court:\n................................................................\n................................................................\nOther (Anything else you want to agree on):\n................................................................\n................................................................\n................................................................\nDate........................... ................................\nSignature of Mother\nDate........................... ................................\nSignature of Father\nDate........................... ................................\nSignature of Witness","path":["Title 23 - DOMESTIC RELATIONS","PART VI CHILDREN AND MINORS","CHAPTER 53 CHILD CUSTODY"],"source_url":"https://www.palegis.us/statutes/consolidated/view-statute?txtType=HTM\u0026ttl=23\u0026div=0\u0026chpt=53\u0026sctn=31\u0026subsctn=0","current_through":"2026-07-29 (Statute Update stamp, 23 Pa.C.S.)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-02T16:31:43Z","sha256":"9baf4c3ee4d9380b59d515705a3e8bf4e09a7e8c34a512da843148516d4e4540","source_id":"us-pa","stale":false,"prev":"us-pa/23-pa.c.s.-5330","next":"us-pa/23-pa.c.s.-5332"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}