0:04
under certain
0:06
circumstances if a child is 12 years or
0:09
over now this answer is premised upon
0:12
the parents being in litigation and
0:14
going before a judge to determine the
0:16
issue of custody if a child is 12 years
0:19
or older either parent can file a motion
0:22
with the court uh to insist that the
0:25
court talk to the child at least hear
0:27
the child’s preference ask the child
0:30
why uh there’s a preference the court
0:33
doesn’t have to do what the child wants
0:36
but court has to at least hear the child
0:38
if the child is under 12 years old the
0:41
court does not have to talk to the child
0:43
now if parents are in the negotiation
0:46
stage of trying to agree on a parenting
0:50
schedule if they’re wise they’ll at
0:52
least give their child’s wishes some
0:56
consideration and of course how old a
0:58
child is and how mature a child is uh
1:02
certainly comes into play a 16 or a
1:05
17-year-old that is starting to develop
1:07
their own lives and their own Social
1:10
Circles uh may have wishes and desires
1:13
that parents ought to respect up to a
1:15
point but children should never be
1:18
allowed to tell parents what they’re
1:20
going to do uh when I was growing up I
1:23
certainly didn’t dare tell my father
1:25
what my schedule was going to be