[[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Answer","name":"Answer Question","text":"The older a child gets, the more weight a court may give to their opinions during custody proceedings. Once children turn 15 or 16, courts may place substantial weight on their stated preferences, especially if they can give credible reasons. Under\u00a0state law, the weight that a court gives to a child\u2019s preference must depend on the child\u2019s age, experience, judgment, maturity, and ability to express a preference. This means a court may also give more weight to the choice of a young child who shows enough maturity and judgment to the court.","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/what-age-can-child-choose-which-parent-to-live-with-in-sc\/#Answer"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Answer","name":"Answer Question1","text":"When a child states that they do not want one of their parents to have primary custody, the court must consider the child\u2019s preference in the context of their age, maturity, judgment, and reasons for their preference. The court also must evaluate the child\u2019s opinion alongside the other custody factors.","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/what-age-can-child-choose-which-parent-to-live-with-in-sc\/#Answer1"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Answer","name":"Answer Question2","text":"A parent can file a motion to modify a custody arrangement. When parents agree to a modification, the court will grant that change unless compelling circumstances convince the court that the parents\u2019 proposed modification will harm the child\u2019s best interests.  When a parent moves for modification of custody and the other parent objects, the parent who filed the motion may need to prove changed circumstances requiring a modification of the custody arrangement. They must also show that their proposed modification better serves their child\u2019s best interests.","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/what-age-can-child-choose-which-parent-to-live-with-in-sc\/#Answer2"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Will the Court Give More Weight to the Child\u2019s Wishes If They Are Over a Certain Age?","acceptedAnswer":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/what-age-can-child-choose-which-parent-to-live-with-in-sc\/#Answer"},"@id":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/what-age-can-child-choose-which-parent-to-live-with-in-sc\/#Question"},{"@type":"Question","name":"What If a Child Does Not Want to Live with a Parent?","acceptedAnswer":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/what-age-can-child-choose-which-parent-to-live-with-in-sc\/#Answer1"},"@id":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/what-age-can-child-choose-which-parent-to-live-with-in-sc\/#Question1"},{"@type":"Question","acceptedAnswer":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/what-age-can-child-choose-which-parent-to-live-with-in-sc\/#Answer2"},"name":"Can Child Custody Agreements Ever Be Modified?","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/what-age-can-child-choose-which-parent-to-live-with-in-sc\/#Question2"}],"name":"At What Age Can a Child Choose Which Parent to Live with in SC?","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/what-age-can-child-choose-which-parent-to-live-with-in-sc\/#FAQPage"}],{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"At What Age Can a Child Choose Which Parent to Live with in SC?","item":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/what-age-can-child-choose-which-parent-to-live-with-in-sc\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]