August 20, 2010
Grandparents have always had limited rights to visitation and custody of their grandchildren, and in 2000 the US Supreme Court limited these rights even further through its decision in the case of Troxell v. Granville. Currently the laws vary in each state. It is important to understand, however, that there are still some situations where a grandparent may have legal rights regarding a grandchild. Although a grandparent in many states lacks the ability to petition the court for custody of a grandchild, it may be possible to do so on a temporary basis in an emergency situation. This situation most […]
August 11, 2010
Many people do not recognize that grandparents can actually be awarded legal custody of their grandchildren, but that is actually the case in some events. This scenario tends to happen when neither parent can provide a healthy and sufficient home to raise their children. It also can occur when there are legitimate concerns about safety due to known instances of drug use or child abuse. It is important to remember that the grandparent does have the responsibility in these cases to identify themselves as a potential custodial parent and to got to the courts and follow up on this to […]
August 7, 2010
Grandparents rights cases rarely go as far as the courts, but even in those that don’t make it there it is important for grandparents to understand the factors a judge considers so that they have some leverage in negotiating their rights out of court. In actual court cases the importance of preserving and maintaining an existing relationship between the child and their grandparents will be weighed against the custodial parent’s need to exercise their parental rights and veto such visitation if they desire. There are several factors which judges consider: Is there an existing, positive relationship between the grandparents and […]
August 5, 2010
One of the greatest of experiences in life is becoming a grandparent, even if it comes through unconventional means. Grandparents whose children adopt have a wonderful chance to welcome a brand new person into their family. As with all major life changes, adoption is both a wonderful and challenging experience, filled with excitement, adjustment and joy. This is no less true for the grandparents, as they watch their own beloved children dealing with all the emotions that come with adopting a child. Here are some tips to consider if you are becoming a grandparent through adoption: Be a partner in […]
August 3, 2010
Grandparents who find themselves having custody of their grandchildren, or just spending a great deal of time with them during visitation, may wonder about discipline techniques. Children who are used to “time-outs” may stump grandparents raised many years ago in entirely different circumstances. Time-outs can effectively stop behaviors that are especially hard to discipline. It can also serve as disciplinary action for a particularly aggressive or impulsive grandkid! These discipline problems can include everything from a temper tantrum to cursing to name-calling to spitting to acting up and to biting. If your grandchild is very angry or actually having a […]
August 1, 2010
Situations in which grandparents raise their grandchildren are certainly not new, but the cases of this happening have been skyrocketing over the last decade. Studies are long overdue as to the number of grandparents in the country who are raising their grandchildren. State and Federal Government agencies that are responsible for gathering such family data need to address this issue. The number of grandparents raising their grandchildren has rapidly increased. With this increase some grandparents are finding themselves overwhelmed. Whole heartedly they take on the task of providing a loving, safe, stable environment for their grandchildren to thrive and grown […]
July 29, 2010
Are you having problems seeing your grandchild after a difficult divorce involving their parents? If so, the first thing you need to do is learn about the visitation laws in the state where your grandchild lives. State law is not going to give you the right to visit your grandchild automatically, but in some states you have the ability to ask a court for visitation rights. In those states, a judge will make the final decision after looking at your family situation. Each one of our 50 states once had laws that gave grandparents the right to ask the court […]
July 27, 2010
You don’t need to spend a fortune on a lawyer to go over your grandparents rights with you. Fortunately, there is a helpful resource in The Custody Center that spares you the pain of high legal fees and will get you informed and up to date on exactly what your grandparents rights are in your situation. By using the resources of The Custody Center instead of a lawyer you can easily make yourself informed of your grandparents rights but at the same time you can avoid both legal fees and the appearance of conflict that comes from hiring a lawyer. […]
July 26, 2010
Some grandparents may be surprised to know that they can actually be awarded legal custody of their grandchildren, but that does happen in some cases. Usually you see this situation in the event that neither of a child’s parents can provide them a safe and adequate home. Many grandparents know that after the Troxell Supreme Court decision in 2000 grandparents suffered a set-back in regards to what their grandparents rights were. However, this decision did not eliminate the idea of grandparents rights or custody at all. It simply meant that in cases of custody grandparents can only be awarded their […]
July 24, 2010
Today statistics show that over 50% of all marriages end in divorce. Although it is traditionally accepted that this is hard on the parties divorcing and especially on the children involved, virtually no one talks about how hard this is on grandparents. This can lead many to conclude that though parents divorcing have many rights, grandparents have none. In fact, one truth in this is that grandparents do have fewer rights when compared to parents. Certainly, the courts have not protected them as much as is proper. However, it is a myth that grandparents have no rights, and in fact […]