Stepdaughter wants to live with her father what are her rights?

[cheer712002]

My stepdaughter wants to live with her father, she is unhappy at her mothers and gets the blam for everything and has to help with her little sister way too much. She wants to live here but is afraid of the verbal abuse she will get from her mother while waiting the months between when papers are served and the final court date. Her mother will not agree to letting her live here. The daughter would like a fast result somehow. What are her rights and what can we do? Thank you

 

[MorgansDaddy]

She basically has no rights. How old is the child? A court isn't likely to change custody without a real change in circumstances. The child not liking her chore load isn't going to get custody changed. As a step-parent myself, I would suggest that you are better to stay out of this matter. Us step-parents may have good intentions, but no legal standing, thus, our opinions don't matter.

What orders, if any, are currently in place?

 

[Proserpina]

Virginia is not a State wherein the child's preference is, by itself, a change of circumstance.

IF Dad can show a change of circumstance, then stepdaughter's wishes will likely carry at least some weight in court. But without that CoC, it's not going to happen - period.

 

[MorgansDaddy]

That is why I ask the age of the child. If the father can prove the CoC, and the child is of an old enough age, the child's wishes could carry a little weight. I am not seeing any clear CoC here though.

 

[Proserpina]

Oh snap - for some reason I was thinking this was a teen, and no such thing has been said!

Sorry folks