Do the wishes of a child have any influence in custody decisions in Florida?

The desires of the child might have some impact on the decision of where of a child shall reside. Let me explain. First of all, the desires of a child could well affect how the parties reach an agreement on where the child shall primarily reside. If a judge has to make the decision, that changes the dynamic. Minor children are almost never allowed to testify in a courtroom or speak directly to a judge.

However, the Florida statutes do list as one of the factors in determining where a child shall primarily reside, the input of the child, taking into consideration the age and the maturity of the child. Now, it may be necessary in order to convey the child’s desires that you hire a person that’s a professional to evaluate or speak with the child and then call them as an expert witness to reiterate what the child has told them.