at what age can a child decide which parent
In other words, even if the child insists that he wants to live with one parent, the judge is not obligated to follow the child's wishes, but instead will consider them along with other factors. If the child is older, the court may place more weight on the wishes of the child, particularly if the child is 16 or older. Even then, it will not be a controlling factor. Utah law provides that the child's wishes are to be ascertained by an in camera, or private, interview as opposed to taking testimony on the stand.