USA – OKLAHOMA Law and Practice Contributed by: Danya Bundy and Aaron Bundy, Bundy Law
Oklahoma law requires courts hearing child cus - tody disputes to consider which parent will fos - ter a relationship between the child and the other parent. Parental alienation findings by trial courts have been upheld as a basis for a child custody determination. Allegations of alienation are fact- sensitive inquiries concerning the behaviour of each parent, as it relates to encouraging or dis - couraging a relationship between a child and the other parent. Factors include interference with court orders, denial of visitation, denial of com - munication, and statements made or information provided by a parent to a child to influence the child’s views of the other parent.
Children may give preference testimony and oth - er information to a court. There are detailed pro - cedures for judicial interviews of minor children set out both in a statute and in case law. Even with express procedures, judicial philosophies and attitudes towards interviewing children vary widely. Some judges will readily interview chil - dren in their office, whereas others will always require the appointment of a guardian ad litem or a counsellor for the child to relay the child preference information to the court. 3.4 ADR See 2.9 Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) . 3.5 Media Access and Transparency See 2.8 Media Access and Transparency .
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