More than a dozen states, including South Dakota, don’t require a judge to factor in a child’s custody preference when making custody decisions, according to a new analysis of these laws.
The report was issued by CustodyXChange, which develops software for people managing custody issues. The company’s managing editor, Shea Drefs, said they’ve looked at a range of policies in the United States to make sure parents are fully aware of legal requirements in their respective state. The latest findings showed that in 13 states, a child’s preference doesn’t have to be considered if the court makes a final custody decision.
Drefs cited two conflicting viewpoints at the heart of the matter.
“I think everyone would probably, to some extent, agree that it’d be nice for a child to have a say in their life,” she said, “but then also, it’s understandable that we don’t want to have the child in the middle of the custody battle.”
Read the full story at Public News Service.