Can a child choose which parent to live with?

In Australia, there is no fixed age at which a child can independently decide where to live — the court considers their views as one factor among many, with greater weight given as they mature, especially from around 12 years old.

In Ireland, a teenager does not have an automatic legal right to choose which parent to live with, but the court must consider their views if they are mature enough to form an independent opinion.

No, a child in Singapore cannot unilaterally choose which parent to live with — the court decides based on the child’s welfare as the paramount consideration.

In India, a child aged 9 years or older can express a preference, but the court decides custody based on the child’s best interests—not the child’s choice alone.

In South Korea, a minor child aged 13 or older may express their preference on custody, but the court makes the final decision based on the child’s best interests—not the child’s choice alone.

Yes, your child's preference can affect custody in California, but only if the court finds the child is of sufficient age and maturity to express a reasoned preference — and the judge decides it's in the child's best interest to consider it.

The court considers the child’s welfare as the paramount concern, guided by the welfare checklist in section 1(3) of the Children Act 1989.