About this episode

The episode discusses Mississippi's new custody law and its implications for joint custody and parenting time.

Mississippi custody law just changed in a significant way. On April 8, 2026, Governor Tate Reeves signed House Bill 1662, creating a rebuttable presumption that joint custody with equal parenting time is in the best interest of the child. In this episode of the R+E Podcast, Matt Easterling and Sarah Didlake sit down with former Chancellor Ed Patten to break down what that actually means—and what it doesn't. Does this create automatic 50/50 custody? How will judges apply a "rebuttable presumption" in real courtrooms? And what happens to the traditional best interest analysis? Drawing on decades of experience from the chancery bench, Judge Patten offers a practical, real-world perspective on how this law will play out for families across Mississippi. The conversation goes beyond headlines to explore litigation strategy, settlement dynamics, and the new approach to child support in equal parenting time cases, making this essential listening for parents, lawyers, and anyone working with families.

People in this episode

Host: Matt Easterling

Guests: Sarah Didlake, Ed Patten

Topics covered

• custody law
• joint custody
• parenting time
• family law
• legal analysis

Keywords

• custody law
• 50/50 parenting
• joint custody
• rebuttable presumption
• child support

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: House Bill 1662

Places: Mississippi

More episodes of The Robertson and Easterling Podcast

• Sure, Martha, I'll Go: A Conversation with Retired Chancellor Edward Patten · May 14, 2026 · 1h 2m

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