Can I choose which parent to live with at 16?

Can I choose which parent to live with at 16?

But even in a hearing for an initial order for custody, the Court will usually honor the wishes of a minor child who is at least 16 years old, unless shown by the other parent to not be in the child’s best interest.

Can a 16 year old choose which parent to live with in Michigan?

Contrary to popular belief, there is no age in Michigan when the child can unilaterally decide which parent to live with other than after age 18. The preference of the child, however, is one of the many considerations that the judge will consider when making decisions regarding child custody or parenting time.

When does a child have a choice in custody?

When (at what age) the child can make the choice. There was a time when a child’s choice was a non-factor until the child reached his or her late teenage years. However, child custody laws in California became more progressive. The legislature passed Family Code 3042 and its companion in California Rules of Court 5.250.

Can a child choose which parent they want to live with?

A child cannot choose which parent they want to live until they are 18-years-old. As they get older, however, their opinion can have a greater weight with the court. Ultimately, it is going to be the opinion of the court and what is in the best interest of the child.

How old do you have to be to get custody of a child?

The judge in charge of the divorce or custody hearings must give consideration to the child’s wishes at any age but it isn’t until age 14 that their wishes are given more weight in the decision.

How does a child’s preference in custody work?

The parent, through a delicate balancing of stating the child’s preference in custody but not pressuring the child, must state to the family court the most important facts. These include the living arrangements between the parents and why it would be in the child’s best interest to live with that parent, consistent with the child’s wishes.