{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-43-43-113","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 43, § 43-113","heading":"Preference of child – Record of interview","body":"A. In any action or proceeding in which a court must determine\n\ncustody or limits to or periods of visitation, the child may express\n\na preference as to which of the parents the child wishes to have\n\ncustody or limits to or periods of visitation.\n\nB. The court shall first determine whether the best interest of\n\nthe child will be served by allowing the child to express a\n\npreference as to which parent should have custody or limits to or\n\nperiods of visitation with either parent. If the court so finds,\n\nthen the child may express such preference or give other testimony.\n\nC. There shall be a rebuttable presumption that a child who is\n\ntwelve (12) years of age or older is of a sufficient age to form an\n\nintelligent preference.\n\nD. If the child is of a sufficient age to form an intelligent\n\npreference, the court shall consider the expression of preference or\n\nother testimony of the child in determining custody or limits to or\n\nperiods of visitation. Interviewing the child does not diminish the\n\ndiscretion of the court in determining the best interest of the\n\nchild. The court shall not be bound by the child's choice or wishes\n\nand shall take all factors into consideration in awarding custody or\n\nlimits of or period of visitation.\n\nE. If the child is allowed to express a preference or give\n\ntestimony, the court may conduct a private interview with the child\n\nin chambers without the parents, attorneys or other parties present.\n\nHowever, if the court has appointed a guardian ad litem for the\n\nchild, the guardian ad litem shall be present with the child in\n\nchambers. The parents, attorneys or other parties may provide the\n\ncourt with questions or topics for the court to consider in its\n\ninterview of the child; however, the court shall not be bound to ask\n\nany question presented or explore any topic requested by a parent,\n\nattorney or other party.\n\nF. At the request of either party, a record shall be made of\n\nany child interview conducted in chambers. If the proceeding is\n\ntranscribed, the parties shall be entitled to access to the\n\ntranscript only if a parent or the parents appeal the custody or\n\nvisitation determination.","path":["OK Code","Title 43"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os43.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"1ba38717c4c76c6f8b018cb259cc805e8dbef5625512e20d46f33b3a09b494cd","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-43-43-112a","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-43-43-114"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}