( CNN ) -- A 12-year-old boy should get a say in whether he gets circumcised , the Oregon Supreme Court has ruled . The court sent the parental custody dispute back to the trial court `` to resolve the factual issue whether M agrees or objects to the circumcision . '' `` M '' is the child at the center of a long-running custody dispute between James and Lia Boldt , who divorced in 1999 . Soon after , the father began studying Judaism and later converted . He also started teaching his son about the faith . By then , James had parental custody and told his ex-wife the boy would convert as well , and that to do so , he would have to have the circumcision procedure . The mother objected , saying the child had been raised in the Russian Orthodox faith while the couple was married . Because the two sides disagreed , and were living in neighboring states , the conflict dissolved into ongoing personal and constitutional dispute . James Boldt said that as a Jew and the primary caregiver , he has a First Amendment right to practice his faith as he sees fit for his child . Lia Boldt countered her son does not want to go through with the circumcision , and that it is an invasive , irreversible , and potentially dangerous medical procedure . The state high court seemed especially reluctant to address the issue , saying normally such disputes `` are considered private family matters . '' But the justices noted `` these parties can not or will not resolve this matter without resort to the courts . '' So rather than offer a definitive ruling , the justices ordered both sides to go to the actual source of the conflict . `` In our view , at age 12 , M 's attitude regarding circumcision , though not conclusive of the custody issue presented here , is a fact necessary to the determination '' of whether the mother can press her objections to the procedure , wrote Chief Justice Paul De Muniz for the six-member panel . `` Forcing M at age 12 to undergo circumcision against his will could seriously affect the relationship between M and his father , and could have a pronounced effect on father 's capability to properly care for M. '' There was no initial reaction to the decision from the parents or their attorneys . The case is James Boldt v. Lia Boldt ( S054714 ) . E-mail to a friend .
Case part of parental custody dispute . Father converted to Judaism after splitting with wife . Father wanted son to convert after getting custody . Judge said no, he's the father and you're not allowed to do that.