Mediate Michigan

Three Bethel siblings want to change the law so children over age 12 have a stronger voice in custody disputes.

Trianna, Marika and Cyril Gutzman plan to bring their petition to state legislators for what they call “Trianna’s law.”

Trianna, 13, is a freshman at the Kent School in Kent. Marika, 12, is a seventh-grader at Bethel Middle School and Cyril, 10, is a fifth-grader at Johnson School.

The Gutzman children believe that children can better represent their own needs than the attorney who speaks on their behalf. Their parents, Alexis Kaiser and Kevin Gutzman, share joint custody.

Trianna came up the idea of a petition last spring, but only recently started getting signatures.

“I’m very happy people are so positive to change the law. I wouldn’t have thought to do this if I hadn’t seen the movie `Gandhi,’ ” Trianna said. “He gave me the inspiration to make the change. He said, `Be the change you want to be in the world.’ ”

The petition supports the idea that children over the age of 12 could meet with the judge to discuss their wishes in a disputed custody case. As it is, an attorney is hired or appointed as a guardian ad litem by the court to represent and protect the interests of a minor. The attorney talks to the children and then to the judge.”I think there are plenty of kids in Connecticut who have the same problem and wish they had a say,” Trianna said.

via Siblings aim to change child custody law – NewsTimes.