At what age can a child choose who they want to live with in the State of Washington?

Answer 1

I'm from Washington, and I've looked at this before. I think it is 13. You can call a family law attorney, to be sure. They should answer your question for free. If you are the studious type, go to any library, they have the RCWs (laws for Washington state) in the library with the encyclopedias and stuff. Volume 0 is the index, and you can look up the law yourself. It would be in the section that deals with family law and emancipated minors. I think the law is " Age of Consent for parental custody" or something like that. Good luck No, minors do not have the legal right to decide which parent they prefer to reside with, if the parents cannot reach an equitable agreement a judge will make the determination. The reasons minors are not allowed to "choose" is the court assumes a child will choose the parent who is the most lenient or the child might experience unnecessary emotional distress when making such a decision. If it becomes necessary, a judge will determine where the child will reside based upon what is in his or her best interest, not upon the preference of others.

Answer 2

Minors are not allowed to choose with whom they wish to live. Judges will sometimes speak with the minor child/children about general issues such as the school they presently attend, neighborhood, friends and so forth. The judge decides custodial issues based entirely on what is in the best interest of the child/children and not on the preference of any involved party.

Answer 3

The answer is that a "child", meaning a person under the age of 18, can never in the state of Washington choose with which parent they wish to live. It is purely between the parents and the courts, the child is not even consulted (verified in July 2009 in Snohomish County with a 17 year old son wishing to change his primary residence).

Answer 4

I have a 12 year old daughter and a 8 year old son that wish to live with me. Currently my ex and I have 60/40 parenting. This has taked a turn for the worse and I would like to have some information. We live in Washington State. Thanks in advance for your help. Julee Denzinger 206-818-5083

Answer 5

Leaving Home

The parents of an non-emancipated minor have the custody and control of such minor. This means that the parents can legally decide where the minor lives until the minor reaches the age of majority (usually 18) or otherwise becomes emancipated.

If a minor moves away from the home of his or her parents or legal guardians without their permission, that minor can be picked up by authorities as a runaway. Depending upon the state, there may be an evaluation stage in which the situation is reviewed to insure that the individual is not endangered by being returned to the home. Some states have recognized that minors that are 16 or 17 are often considered questionable as to their ability to leave home. Authorities may not want to deal with minors in this age group and some states are establishing legislation enforcing the age of majority and eliminating any questions in the eyes of the law enforcement community.

Check with your local laws for more specifics. If you are in an unsafe environment, law enforcement personnel can put you in contact with the appropriate agencies to obtain help.

Answer 6

what is the legal age in the state of Louisiana that a child can decide which parent she wishes to reside with, and can choose to not visit the other?

Answer 7

Age 18

see links below

Answer 8

see link

Answer 9

Age 18