Sayre, PA asked in Family Law for Pennsylvania

Q: At what does the child have the right to say what parent they want to live with. My daughter is 15.

She wants to stay with me and not her dad. The verbal agreement we had on child support he has stopped paying so i now have to go to court for that. No custody agreement other than what was wrote up in the divorce papers 10 years ago. Can he fight paying child support and what r the chances i will get primary custody if i go to court? I live in PA and he lives in NY. Her physical address is my address because she goes to school in the town i live in. I cannot afford a lawyer as i already work 2 jobs to make ends meet. Any information would be helpful.

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1 Lawyer Answer
Dawn Padanyi
Dawn Padanyi
Answered
  • Doylestown, PA
  • Licensed in Pennsylvania

A: Stability is an important factor for children. No lawyer, without knowing all the information about your case, will be able to answer if you will get primary physical custody in Court. If you cannot afford a lawyer, you may look into Legal Aid as it is still best to have an attorney assisting you. Many counties also have a discount program as well. You should at least consider having a consultation with a local attorney to give you a preliminary assessment of your case. Lastly, there is not a specific age when children can decide child custody, however, generally the older the child is, the more weight the Court attaches to the child's opinion.

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