If I file for custody in Allegheny County, will my children get to decide where they live?
By Lisa Marie Vari of Taybron Law Firm, LLC, P.C. posted in Child Custody on Wednesday, March 14, 2018.
Parents involved in a custody case in Pittsburgh will often ask at what age their kids can decide which parent they want to live with. Maybe your daughter has said she’d rather live with Mom. Will an Allegheny County judge let the children choose which parent they want to live with?
In Pennsylvania any custody case is decided based upon a number of factors. One of these factors is a child’s preference to live with one parent or the other (“I want to live with Dad”). However the choice as to which parent will have custody and when is not left up to the children. A child’s wish to live with Mom or with Dad is only one of many things an Allegheny County family law judge will consider.
It’s not lost on any family law judge that children would like to live with the parent they view as being the most “fun” or the least restrictive parent. When a child has stated a preference for living with Mom or Dad a judge will also consider the age of the child and the reason why the child may be choosing one parent over the other.
While a child may have a preference for a particular parent, the child’s wishes do not control the outcome of any custody case. If you have further questions about custody in Pennsylvania, including whether to file for custody or how to modify an existing custody order, contact our team of experienced family law attorneys today. We’ve handled thousands of child custody cases and it would be our pleasure to assist you during this difficult time.
Tags: Child Custody Allegheny County, Child Custody Lawyers in Pittsburgh, Child Custody attorneys in Pittsburgh, Child Custody in Pennsylvania, custody in pennsylvania
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