Age Child Can Choose Parent To Live With. The child s preference in custody cases. Contrary to popular belief there is no golden age at which a child s views will be determinative.
A child cannot legally decide who they want to live with until the age of 16 unless there is a child arrangement order in place that has been extended until they are 17 or 18 years old. Which parent the child would rather live with. A nine year old may tell the judge that a parent loves the child because that parent does what is best for the child even if it may make the child unhappy from time to time.
You ll probably be asked what you think about it all but children don t usually get to decide which parent they live with or how much time they ll spend with each parent after a separation or divorce.
There is a common misconception that in family law parenting disputes about with whom a child will live a child will have the deciding vote when they reach the age of 12. Until then it is ultimately the decision of the parents to decide or if they cannot agree a child arrangement order will specify where the child lives. A child is someone under the age of 19. Most fourteen year olds are mature enough to make good witnesses.