Russell Chapman wrote: > > Julia Thompson wrote: > > >Just thought of a scenario not handled by this: > > > >Woman & man marry > >Woman & man have baby > >Woman & man get divorced > >Woman gets custody > >Woman marries another man > >Woman is killed in an accident when child is 6 years old > > > >Who gets primary custody at *this* point? The bio-dad or the step-dad? > > > This is something that keeps me awake at night... My ex-wife is a > fruit-loop who has no concept of responsibility at any level, and can't > cope with the children for more than an overnight visit every few > months. My second wife, despite having been thrown in the deep end with > no preparation and all the challenges that step-parents face, is a > wonderful mother who would do (and does) anything and everything for the > children. > My custody of the children is just a casual agreement between us, there > is no court order. > If something happenned to me, the default position of the authorities > would be to return the children to their natural mother, and her family > would want that to happen (my family would not!). I have a clause in my > will that basically begs the authorities to leave the children with > their step mother, which they may take note of, but that is as much as I > can do. Obviously, as the children get older the risk is less and less, > but when they were 6 it was a real concern about which I had no control. > (they're 10 & 13 now).
Is there some age at which children of divorced parents can have a say in where they live?
Various states in the US have that, and the age varies from state to state. It's 14 *somewhere*. Don't know anything beyond that.
In some states, that is the age when one can get married. (Though some states have recently been changing the laws which allow that.)
--Ronn! :)
I always knew that I would see the first man on the Moon.
I never dreamed that I would see the last.
--Dr. Jerry Pournelle
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