Child Custody questions

[Crispie]

Hi my daughter is 13, I have joint custody with my ex husband. My daughter has talked to him several times and is not happy. She has told him she wants to stay at my house during school and go to his house on some weekends. She told him taht she is tired of going back and forth, living tow different lives with two different sets of rules. She told us it was just too hard. She said it makes school harder and just having to adjust to each house every week is too hard. His response was at first if taht was what she wanted then that was fine, then making her feel guilty and belittling her, to absolutely not if you do not come back to his house after school he would report her as a runaway and take her to Juvi. If taht did not work they would also put bars on her windows. My daughter is extremely upset and oes not know what to do. I have offered mediation to be turned down, my daughter is scared and hates going to his house. I want to do something before it is too late and she does something crazy.

 

[irish223]

To change anything, you will have to file for a modification of the custody order. In some states, the judge will consider the preference of a 13 year old. That doesn't mean your daughter chooses where she lives, but the judge will consider what she wants when he makes his ruling. You might also consider requesting a guardian ad litem to represent your daughter in the custody hearing.