Brave Grandparents

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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
November 14, 2010

A call to action for Caring Grandparents!

As you already know as a Caring Grandparent, caring about and loving your grandchild is the easy part. The hard comes when the rest of the world intervenes. As an advocate for Grandparents Rights I see hundreds of cases where the love of a grandparent for their grandchild is impeded in its tracks by the realities of the world we live in. That’s why today Caring Grandparents must also be active grandparents. I consider my latest book No Greater Loss […]
November 12, 2010

Improving your chances of gaining visitation rights

Grandparents concerned with visitation rights should know that there are no firm rules for determining when a court will grant visitation as every case is decided on its own facts and merits. Grandparents can, however, take steps to improve their chances of gaining visitation rights. In deciding visitation cases, courts often consider the previous relationship between the grandparent and grandchild, and they look favorably on evidence of a consistent and caring relationship. For this reason, a grandparent should try to […]
November 9, 2010

How do states determine custody?

States generally use one of two standards for determining custody. The courts in many states currently begin any proceedings by looking for the parental preference, meaning that the wishes of the child’s parents will be followed unless there is strongly significant evidence to the court that they should not be respected. The reason for this is that the constitution gives a fit parent the right to determine what is best for the well-being of their child. Generally a grandparent then […]
September 23, 2010

My New Grandparents Rights Book – Now Available

I have just published the definitive volume on Grandparents Rights today. My new book No Greater Loss: The Guidebook to Today’s Grandparents Rights is now available in print. It contains everything you need to know about Grandparents Rights regarding visitation, custody, guardianship and much more. I have written this book to help bridge the gap between Logic and Law. Grandparents have provided and still provide so much caring continuity in our extended families…and yet there is a danger that these […]