First, Judges rarely "impose" joint & shared custody, though they do encourage at least joint custody. If you are very involved with the child (have nearly equal access), are very involved with the child's extracurricular activities, share in taking the child to appointments (such as Dr. appointments) and share in decisions regarding the child in an amicable fashion, then you're well on your way to establishing a good case for joint custody. Schedule a consult with a NYC Child Custody attorney for a full assessment.