Grandparents Rights

February 7, 2011

Explaining grandparents custody

There are two principal situations when the custodial rights of grandparents come into play.  One is when the grandparents wants custodial rights over the child’s real or adoptive parents.  The other is when the grandparent wants custody over persons who are not the child’s real or adoptive parents, but who presently have custody. With high divorce rates, teen pregnancy issues, drug problems, abandonment, abuse and sometimes the death of a parent or parents, many grandparents feel the need to step up and help out. Grandparent’s rights can be tricky, though, and often it’s hard to know where to start or […]
January 25, 2011

The State of Grandparents Rights

When it comes to grandparents rights different states have different standards. This is because the 2000 Troxell Supreme Court decision splintered the laws and advocates of fairness in grandparents rights have been trying to catch up ever since. All 50 states currently have some type of “grandparent visitation” statute through which grandparents, and sometimes others (foster parents and stepparents, for example), can ask a court to grant them the legal right to maintain their relationships with loved children. But state laws vary greatly when it comes to the crucial details, such as who can visit and under what circumstances. Approximately 20 states have […]
January 13, 2011

Grandparents custody options

Grandparents custody is occurring with greater frequency today due to many social factors. Certainly, the number of grandparents raising their grandchildren in their homes is skyrocketing. Grandparents who take care of their grandchildren regularly, whether through a court order or because their children are unfit, may want to think about getting custody. Without legal custody, grandparents may find themselves unable to get proper medical care or take advantage of certain benefits their grandchildren may be entitled to. There are several options to consider here: Consider temporary relative custody. This is a document that awards temporary custody to a relative in […]
January 10, 2011

Mistakes to avoid when seeking grandparents visitation rights

Seeking to obtain grandparents visitation rights can be a very trying event for any grandparent. When we usually see our grandchildren on a normal basis and that is taken away it can leave us very sad. We miss them very much because they are so much a part of our lives. We love the relationship we have with our grandchildren. My book No Greater Loss addresses the issue of grandparents visitation rights in detail. Knowing just what you should do and understanding how to get it done is crucial. It’s also necessary to know what you should NOT do, what […]
January 3, 2011

Grandparents custody: what is it and why?

A grandparent may seek legal custody of their grandchildren for numerous reasons. The simplicity or complexity of this will depend on individual circumstances and whether or not both the parents and grandparents agree that the children should be in the custody of the grandparents. Legal custody is awarded by the courts and is not merely a written agreement between two parties. If both parties are not in agreement, the grandparent or other relative must prove to the court that it is in the best interest of the child or children to be raised by someone other than the parent. If […]
December 23, 2010

Researching your grandparents visitation rights

Researching your grandparents visitation rights it not as hard as you might think. Whatever aim you will have, you may need tips, ideas, and good advice to assist you to achieve it. It’ll be much easier to reach your goal if you know what to do and what to stay clear of. Presented here are three important guidelines to help you achieve your goals. Usually when you use the following pointers you’ll enhance your possibilities to have improved final results. If you need to read more information you may do so by following this link to read more about grandparents […]
December 16, 2010

Granparents custody rights explained

Misunderstanding of the custody rights of grandparents is common, which is why I have tried to focus on explaining those rights and expanding on them in No Greater Loss. Though each is unique, all fifty states have laws regarding the custody rights of grandparents. Custody rights of grandparents may be applicable in cases where a parent or both parents die, or in cases of divorce or separation. Custody rights of grandparents may also apply when the child has lived with the grandparents or great grandparents for a certain period of time and other requirements are met. When a grandparent seeks […]
December 10, 2010

History of grandparents visitation rights

Grandparent visitation rights and the visitation rights of other nonparents did not exist more than 40 years ago. Visitation rights, in fact, only applied to the parents of a child. Today, every state has created statutes to govern the visitation rights of grandparents and others, such as a foster parent, a caregiver, or a stepparent. These visitation laws allow grandparents and others the legal right to visit a child. State Rights Each state has incorporated statutory guidelines for granting visitation rights to grandparents. The intent of granting grandparent visitation rights is to allow grandparents to maintain contact with grandchildren. In […]
December 5, 2010

Safeguarding your grandparents visitation rights

When the parents of your grandchildren have a troubled relationship, you will, of course, be concerned about your child, but you should also be concerned about the possibility of losing contact with your grandchildren. In the event of a divorce or other broken relationship, you may have to resort to mediation or even a lawsuit to secure your grandparents visitation rights. Since the Supreme Court case of Troxel v. Granville the grandparents have had the burden of proving that visitation with them is in the “best interest of the child.” One way to prove this is by documenting an extensive […]
November 30, 2010

Grandparents rights emerging as huge societal issue

Grandparents rights are becoming a huge issue in our society. Not only are more grandparents today taking on the responsibility of their grandchildren, but more grandparents are petitioning the court for grandparents visitation rights and winning visitation rights and/or custody of their grandchildren. It is often a difficult struggle but being informed is their best weapon in this fight. Further, more grandparents are becoming educated with strategies and information about how other grandparents are winning custody and visitation rights in the family courts. Despite what some folks will tell you, grandparents do have legal rights to see their grandchildren in […]