Old enough to choose the parent?

[hawksnst]

My husband and I live in FL with our 2 children. His ex lives in AL, remarried with my stepdaughter (my husband's daughter). Both families are approximately the same household income levels. There are no issues of neglect or abuse. Our stepdaughter is very unhappy where she is living and wishes to live with us, but is afraid to tell her mother so. (Her mom is extremely controlling and lashes out emotionally and verbally). My stepdaughter is 13. Can anyone tell me, given these parameters, how old she must be before she can choose, legally, where to live? We would love to have her live here, and she wants to be here as well. Mom, however, will never allow it unless the courts are involved somehow.

 

[Ambr]

kids can't pick where they want to live.

she is of age to make the request to live with her father. a court should take her request and the reasoning for her request into consideration when the COURT determines what is in the best interest of the child.

but she can't pick which parent that she wants to live with.