Common custody rulings

I realize that custody is ideally shared between parents based on the best interests of the children, and also that when at all possible it should be determined by agreement between the parents rather than a court ruling. And of course, court rulings on custody would vary widely based on both individual situations and the judge in question. But for perspective, I’m wondering if you can give me a general idea of the rulings most commonly handed down in this area when custody is decided by the court. Specifically, given the common scenario of a father working full-time and a mother working part-time, both of whom could provide a good environment for the child, and also given that both are interested in maximizing their custody time, what is the likelihood in practice of the father being granted at least 50% custody? Is there any “most common” schedule ordered in such a scenario?

It really does depend on the individual case, the ages of the children, availability of the parties, schedules of the children ect. I have seen many fathers who are awarded joint custody, and some of the schedules I have seen include the extended weekends (Thursday- Monday) and nights on the alternate week. The individual needs of the children and the facts of the case will determine the schedule, however you are free to propose any workable arrangement for the court’s consideration.