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New Mexico Legal Group represents mothers in Albuquerque and throughout the state of New Mexico to maximize their rights under the law.

Both mothers and fathers are considered to be the natural guardians of their child, and both parents are legally entitled to parent their child. ... It is the official position of the State of New Mexico that children benefit from having both parents in their lives and joint custody is the preferred custodial arrangement.

New Mexico courts decide custody based on the best interests of the child. This is the same standard as most states. What's different in New Mexico is at 14 years old, a court considers the desires of the minor rather than determining custody based on the best interest standard.

Sometimes taking your child from you is a crime, like "parental kidnapping." But if you are married, and there is no court order of custody, it is legal for the other parent to take your child. Or, if you are divorced and the other parent has sole physical custody, it is legal for them to take your child.

Basic Information. In parentage cases, also called "paternity cases," the court makes orders that say who the child's legal parents are. ... But for unmarried parents, parentage of their children needs to be established legally.

New Mexico courts decide custody based on the best interests of the child. This is the same standard as most states. What's different in New Mexico is at 14 years old, a court considers the desires of the minor rather than determining custody based on the best interest standard.

If child is 14 or older, child has the right to choose the custodial parent. If the child is 14 or older, child has the right to testify in court regarding the preference of custodial parent. If the child is 14 or older, the judge may consider the wishes of the child.

If the child is 14 or older, child has the right to testify in court regarding the preference of custodial parent. If the child is 14 or older, the judge may consider the wishes of the child. If the child is 12 or older, the judge may consider the wishes of the child.

At the age of fourteen (14), children are free to choose which parent to live with.

The legal answer may be yes even though the ethical answer could be no in some situations. Under the law, each parent must follow a custody order exactly. ... A parent may have a different role in making visits happen for a four-year old child versus a 14 year-old one.

In Texas, a child's decision cannot be the sole factor in determining which parent the child lives with. However, once the child reaches the age of 12, and upon motion, the court can consider the child's wishes as to whom he/she wishes to live with.

Technically speaking, a child has no legal 'right to choose'. ... There seems to be a misconception among parents that there is a magical age (usually 12, 13, or 14) at which a child can choose one custodial arrangement over another. The legal standard used in all states is the Best Interests of the Child.

Technically speaking, a child has no legal 'right to choose'. ... The legal standard used in all states is the Best Interests of the Child. In many States, including Michigan, the Child Custody Act will include the child's preference among the factors that the court needs to consider in modifying custody.

Deciding Where a Child Lives You can allow your child to make this decision for themselves. This is your choice as a parent; there's no set age that determines when a child is allowed to say where he/she wants to live. However, a child is not legally entitled to choose who to live with until the age of 16.

A child is legally a minor until he/she turns 18. While a child may express strong views about who they want to live with, those views are just one of a number of factors to be taken into account by the court when deciding who he/she will live with.