I have a 17 year old daughter. She does not want to visit her father in CT on weekends anymore. She does care for her father but she has so much going on at her home in Mass now that it's difficult to miss work when she mostly works on the weekends.
2007-06-03 13:29:03 · 20 answers · asked by Sharon C 1 in Family & Relationships ➔ Marriage & Divorce
Once a child turns 16 they have the right to do what they want when it comes to visiting a parent or not.
2007-06-03 13:38:43 · answer #1 · answered by Livinrawguy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not sure, but I would read your visitation papers first and foremost. I have a friend who said that a 16 yr old boy who was leagally taken away from his mother at age 3 due to abuse by his stepfather, chose to go and live with her and there was nothing his father could do about it. I don't know what their situation is, but he did what he wanted at age 16. Maybe she could still go visit every other weekend or once a month. I would talk to your ex. If you two get along well maybe it will be easy to work out. If you don't maybe she could talk with her dad.
2007-06-03 14:52:46 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
By that age they pretty much know what they want. I have a 23 year old son who feels the same way about his father who left us 2 years ago for his company tramp girlfriend who he had been having an affair with for over a year that we knew nothing about. I know our son deep down still loves his dad, but the respect is gone and sometimes losing respect is worse than losing love I think. He sees his father very little and has to be almost forced to when he does. I know he is 23 and grown but he is an only child and has been spoiled so he is more like a teenager still than a grown up, he has just finished college and is still at home with me. I think he worries about leaving me alone, but I tell him I will be fine. You have to let your daughter at her age make her own decisions, her father has to take the initiative for his own actions that made have made her feel that way.
2007-06-03 22:01:30 · answer #3 · answered by tannerlady 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all, Owen's idiotic response isn't worth controverting. Also, all those who told you sure, she has a choice or she can decide for herself do not practice law.
While she MAY have a voice in the CT court to give her opinion as to with whom custody should be awarded, it is at the discretion of the court how much weight that opinion will be given.
As to visitation, there is no such provision in the Conneticut statutes which give a child of any age discretion over the court order.
IF she (or you allow her to) decides not to confrom to the dictates of the current court order, YOU not she can be held in contempt of court. If she fails to perform under the order enough times, the court can, at it's own discretion, convert your civil contempt to criminal contempt which could result in jail time and a very large fine.
And yes, I AM an attorney.
2007-06-03 14:44:02 · answer #4 · answered by hexeliebe 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the stipulations of the custody agreement. If her visits are court ordered for her to go every weekend, then she has to go regardless....If she has other committments, then you need to take it back to court and discuss it with the judge. If you don't have a legally binding court order and it is just an agreement between the parents, then legally she doesn't have to go. Regardless, though if the father wants to be in her life, she needs to tell her father the reasons she no longer want to have a relationship with him,
2007-06-03 13:45:47 · answer #5 · answered by fiveftelevenqt 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look the order was taken out yrs ago she has a job.She probably wants here own spending money.So for all the divorced dads get off mom's back.At 17 the courts will not ,ake the girl go.She can call her dad explaining that .Mom you should tell the dad what's going on as she is becoming a responsible adult he should be very proud.
2007-06-03 13:50:56 · answer #6 · answered by tastyflow 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What the Law says and what happens are two entirely different things..............especially at 17. Your daughter is old enough to decide for herself if she wants to go see her father. She has a life too and her life should not be disregarded because what the Law says. And anyway, the Law doesnt say she has to go visit him. It his his reponsibility to maintain contact with her, not the other way around. If your daughter hasnt got the time to visit her father, then he needs to find the time to come visit her. She is not breaking any Laws if she decides not to visit him......and if she decides she doesnt want to, then its up to her father to decide if he wants to see her.
2007-06-03 13:57:51 · answer #7 · answered by rightio 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Legally I don't think so, however it sounds like they have a good relationship so have your daughter talk to her dad about this and tell him why. Maybe they can go out during the week a couple nites a week. Make sure she tells him it isn't him that it is her schuedule so he knows he didn't do anything wrong.
2007-06-03 16:28:43 · answer #8 · answered by chiefs fan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
legally, she still has to. after she turns 18 she can terminate her visataions rights with her father. but maybe she should talk to her father and work something out. like maybe she could visit twice a month or something
2007-06-03 13:33:38 · answer #9 · answered by Helllooo!!! 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the father really wants to see her, after so many years of her goiung to him, how about showing how much it means and working out an alternative?
2007-06-03 14:00:31 · answer #10 · answered by Unicornrider 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋