15 Year Old Wants to Live with Father in Oklahoma

My question involves a child custody case from the State of: OKLAHOMA

My step daughter will be 15 in Jan. She has recently been expressing to her father and I that she wants to move in with us. She's afraid to tell her Mother because she is the type to just get mad and then the daughter would be in trouble. What we are curious about is at 15, is there a good chance that we could get custody and how long would this take? If the mother fights this, will she have to get her own lawyer?

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Let me add that they were never married, but Paternity has been established and his name is on her birth certificate.

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Quoting dolphinangel_87

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My question involves a child custody case from the State of: OKLAHOMA

My step daughter will be 15 in Jan. She has recently been expressing to her father and I that she wants to move in with us. She's afraid to tell her Mother because she is the type to just get mad and then the daughter would be in trouble. What we are curious about is at 15, is there a good chance that we could get custody and how long would this take? If the mother fights this, will she have to get her own lawyer?

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Let me add that they were never married, but Paternity has been established and his name is on her birth certificate.

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Custody battles can take 6 months, a year, or longer. A judge may or may not give a teenager's wishes some weight...but the judge will make the decision based on the best interests of the child. A judge is more likely to give the child's wishes some weight if the child's wishes seem to be maturely thought out and not simply a "grass is greener" attitude.

Mom could hire an attorney or represent herself.

Not unless there is a significant change in circumstances where the girl is living now. Is there?