Age of child to request change of custody?

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LindaDRich

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At what age of child can they request change of custody from living with one parent, but they would prefer to live with the other? Parents currently have dual custody, the child spend time with one parent then spends the same amount of time with the other. I heard that once a child is 12 or 14 they can choose whom they want to live with. :confused:
 
Where I live I've been told at 15 or 16 years old they can make that decision. Of course just because you go to court over it and the child wants to go to the other parent doesn't mean the judge will grant it. It depends on what the child is wanting out of the change. If the child just wants to live with the parent who doesn't disipline or make the child follow any rules then the other parent will speak up about that to the judge and the judge probably wont change custody. But if the child is being abused in any way or wants to be with one parent and live most of the time in one place instead of going back and forth then the judge might grant it because the child is looking for stability. It sounds like in your case the child is not wanting to spend half the year in one place and half the year in the other. See if you can get a consultation with a lawyer. They will know what the age laws are in your state and will know whether a judge is likely to grant it.
 
I just found out that in Texas the age is 12. Although........I also found out that the supreme court sees this as just a gage and it is really up to the judge. They can file as a twelve year old. The law was changed in 1999.
 
it is really up to the judge. The judge is going to want to know why he wants to change. If it is for a reason that is deemed to be in the childs best interest, the judge might listen to his preference.
 
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