Legal Question in Family Law in Indiana

What age can a child decide to live with Mom or Dad?

My oldest daughter is 16. She lives with her 2 sisters and their Mom. Her Mother makes her take care of her sisters, clean the house and cook the meals. She is no longer wanting to live with her Mom because of these conditions. She says her Mom sits around the house and talks on the phone, gets on the internet and watches TV and won't help out. My divorce decree says that my ex-wife is the custodial parent with visitations for me with my girls every other weekend, 2 weeks out of the year and any other time we both decide on me seeing them extra. In Indiana, can my 16 year old decide to live with me if she so chooses? Thanks


Asked on 5/17/06, 1:38 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Voyle A. Glover Attorney at Law

Re: What age can a child decide to live with Mom or Dad?

The court will often listen carefully to a teenager who no longer wishes to reside with a particular parent. You'd have to file for a change of custody to find out whether the Court would agree to the change. It could be the Court might find that separating her from her other sisters would not be in the best interests of the children as a whole. But it might be worth pursuing. Talk to your lawyer.

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Answered on 5/17/06, 2:33 pm


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