Legal Question in Family Law in Washington

Re: Child

There is no set age. Each situation is treated differently. Generally, minors speak to the court and convey their desires about which parent they want to live with through a guardian ad litem, who is the minor's representative to the court, as opposed to the parents' attorneys.

The guardian ad litem ("GAL") acts as the judge's eyes and ears and generally prepares a written report or orally testifies about what they have observed and what they recommend in terms of custody.

I hope this helps.

Re: Child

The child does not get to decide which parent it shall live with. That is the duty of adults (either parents or the court if the parents don't agree). If the court has to decide, the court gives more weight to the child's stated desires as the child matures, but the reasons underlying the stated desire will weigh heavily in a court's decision.