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August 20, 2010

When do grandparents rights apply?

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 […]
August 11, 2010

Grandparents and custody rights

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 […]
August 7, 2010

Knowing what judges consider about grandparents rights just in case

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 […]
August 5, 2010

Proud grandparents: Grandparents and adoption

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 […]
August 3, 2010

A “time-out” primer for grandparents dealing with grandchildren and discipline

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 […]
August 1, 2010

Grandparents raising their grandchildren need to be protected by the courts

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 […]
July 29, 2010

First steps in establishing your grandparents rights

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 […]
July 27, 2010

How to establish your grandparents rights

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 […]
July 26, 2010

Grandparents rights and custody

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 […]