There is no specific age at which a child may decide which parent to live with.  A child’s custody preference is give more respect as the child’s age and maturity increases.  As you’d expect, Courts give more weight to the preference of a child who is seventeen than one who is twelve. Court’s seldom—but may—consider children age ten and under to have a sufficient maturity to express a residential responsibility preference.  A child’s preference will be discounted if it appears “purchased” by a parent’s manipulations.  Minnesota law gives an older teen’s custody preference much more priority and importance than does North Dakota.