Does a child’s opinion on custody matter to the court?

Contact Us Today!
 

Custody matters are some of the most difficult and emotional parts of any divorce. For many parents, the idea that they may no longer see their child every day can be devastating. Sometimes, children will make it clear which parent they would rather live with over the other, and parents wonder if that helps their case. A child’s preference is only one of many factors that are taken into consideration in a divorce. The court makes their decision regarding custody based on what is in the child’s best interest. In order to determine the child’s best interest, the court will assess a number of different factors, some of which include:

  • the parent’s ability to care for the child
  • the parent’s history of domestic abuse
  • the parent’s history of substance abuse
  • the parent’s financial situation
  • the relationship between the parent and the child
  • the health of the child
  • the mental and physical health of the parent
  • in some cases, the child’s preference

As far as a child’s preference goes, the court will typically only take this into strong consideration if the child is old enough and mature enough to make educated decisions. If the child simply wants to live with one parent over the other because they don’t make them follow “rules” or allows them to do whatever they want, the court will likely keep this in mind but may not think it is in the child’s best interest to live with the parent. If you have questions about a custody matter, contact our firm today.

If you need strong legal representation regarding matters of divorce, family law, and estate law, contact the Law Offices of Susan A. Kassel, P.C. to schedule a consultation today. 

Why choose our firm?

We have an excellent AVVO rating from our many happy clients

We will tirelessly pursue a favorable resolution to your case

We offer aggressive and effective representation

We treat our clients with the compassion, patience, and respect that they deserve

We have more than 20 years of dedicated legal experience

We have the legal knowledge necessary to help you obtain the outcome you desire

We tailor our practice to the representation of your divorce case

What Our Clients Are Saying

I hired Susan to represent me in a divorce matter where I was fighting for custody and to limit my wife's equitable share of our assets. I won custody of our son, kept the marital residence, kept my professional practice, kept my building and paid less than half to my wife. This was after a long-term marriage. She could persuade the court that equitable is not equal and sometimes the man does deserve to win!

‐ Dave

I first must say that I had been represented by two prior attorneys both of whom had simply taken my money and left me nothing to show for it in my custody case. They kept telling me what they were doing for me but I found out they were lying. Susan on the other hand had gotten me temporary custody and support for my children and myself within two months of hiring her. I cannot say enough about her.

‐ Craig

After talking to a few other attorneys, I hired Susan to represent me in my divorce and custody dispute. I was reluctant to go with her because she was the cheapest out of all the other attorneys I met with, but I'm so glad I did. I am 100% positive no one else would have done such a great job with my case as Susan and her staff. Her work is quality, her staff is reliable and her character is honorable. There...

‐ Linda

I had a very difficult case where I had already burned through two attorneys who were unable to get me custody of my children and complete my divorce. Susan was able to rapidly work out an agreement and not let it just malinger on like my previous experiences. She was also considerate of my financial situation unlike all of the other lawyers I had spoken to. I highly recommend her if you want complete and caring service with an in-depth knowledge of...

‐ Joanne

SERVING ALL OF SUFFOLK COUNTY

The Law Offices of Susan A. Kassel, P.C. proudly serves clients throughout Suffolk County, New York in their divorce, family law, and estate planning matters. If you require the services of an experienced Suffolk County attorney, schedule a consultation with The Law Offices of Susan A. Kassel, P.C. today.

Recent Blogs

VIEW MORE

Contact Us Today!