Legal Question in Family Law in California
Child's decision
When a couple has been seperated for nearly 4 years, but not on paper, is the father of the one child, a 17 year-old, that came out of the relationship allowed to prevent the daughter from moving to another state even if the full custody is provided to the mother, and the father shows no effort of keeping in touch with the daughter?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Child's decision
Your statment of facts is somewhat confusing, but it appears if you are asking if you can move with your child to another state. If he has had minimal contact with her it is unlikely that he can stop you from moving away with her. If she wants to move by herself it will more difficult to convince a judge to allow her move. If she is moving by herself and will be self sufficient she may be able to get an order emancipating her signed by a judge. Then he would have no control over her movements, and would have no duty to support her.
If this does not answer your question then resubmit it with the facts more fully and clearly stated.