Is there a legal age for a child to choose what parent they want to live with?
Every country and jurisdiction is different. Unfortunately, the law regarding a child’s ‘right’* to choose which parent to live with is murky, and varies considerably by State and jurisdiction. Although not a standard by any means, many States have begun to give ‘consideration’ to a child’s declaration of custodial preference when the child reaches the age of twelve or thirteen. The judge is normally given almost unlimited latitude in whether or not he listens to a child and how much weight to give to the child’s wishes. In short, there is no specific “age” when a child can say who they want to live with. In most cases the circumstances of the situation will matter as much or more than the child’s age. It is true, however, that the older the child is the more his or her preferences tend to influence the judge. For example, forcing a child of fifteen to remain in a home where he or she does not wish to be could quickly lead to more serious family problems. This ‘harmony’ factor may carr
