My Kids Have The Option To Choose Which Parent They Want To Live With?

The question of where minor children will live is always a top concern for parents after a divorce or separation. The children may be ordered to live with the more stable parent while the other parent is given visitation privileges if the divorce was brought on by domestic violence or if one parent is unworthy. If the marriage is dissolving and both the parents are stable, they may share custody or they may hire a family lawyer Calgary to take the custody alone. The youngster can also split their time between living with each parent. Sometimes children would adore having a say in who they choose to have as their primary caregiver. 

Does a baby have the right to make decisions? Depending on their age and the jurisdiction in issue, a child may also express their view to the judge hearing their case in the majority of states. However, there are some states where a child cannot participate in the custody decision.

Can The Child Vote in The End?

The parents are free to take their toddler's opinion into consideration during negotiations when child custody arrangements are made for the duration of the mediation process. It may be possible for the minor child to express their preference for which parent to reside within their custody case if the matter ends up in court because the mother and father are unable to agree on a choice. Because there may be other considerations to make, such as the child's safety and well-being, which weighs more than the request, the judge is not necessarily obligated to grant custody based solely on the child's request. 

To ensure the best outcome is chosen for the child in terms of safety, structure, and well-being, a decision will even consider whether a toddler could choose one parent over the other because of leniency (the child having too much freedom with one discern) or coercion (the parent influencing the kid to pick them).

What Appears to Be the Process for The Child?

Children are typically not expected to testify in court because doing so could be distressing for them, especially younger children. Usually, lawyers in Calgary will question the youngster in a meeting with a parent or other advisor present. A non-discern and court-appointed individual acting on behalf of the youngster will likely attend this meeting, which will likely take place inside the judge's chamber or another designated meeting site. The judge may also grant a written request from the child requesting the location of a meeting, depending on the nation and the child's age.

How Old Should a Child Be to Vote?

There are a few straightforward guidelines that often help determine when a baby is old enough for their preference to be considered when making decisions about child custody. Think about the following:

• By the time children are 12 or older, they are typically considered grown enough and mature enough to consider their affordable preferences. 

• If the child in question is between the ages of eight and thirteen, the court may also consider his or her request for custody, but the choice will need to evaluate whether it is reasonable given the circumstances.

As with children of any age, two 13-month-old children might differ greatly in terms of maturity and knowledge, thus each decision involving children's choices must be decided on a case-by-case basis. However, if the judge handling the case determines that the child is old enough and mature enough to express his or her wishes, that wish should be taken into consideration during the decision-making process, but it won't be given any special weight in comparison to the other reasons.