Grandparents Rights

September 13, 2011

Elder law: California passes new senior voting rights law

A new California law makes it a misdemeanor for anyone providing care or direct supervision to a person who is at least 65 years old to coerce or deceive that senior into voting contrary to the senior citizen’s intent. Senior voting rights are an important emerging part of Elder Law in the USA. Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s bill AB 547, a measure to protect senior citizens from voter fraud and abuse, has been signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown and […]
September 6, 2011

US census data: Grandparents raising grandchildren grows

Grandparents raising grandchildren is not a new phenomenon. It is, however, a rapidly growing one. Census data shows that the incidence of increased grandparent involvement in raising their own grandchildren is getting more and more common. As of 2010 about 6 million children, nearly 8 percent of all children, were recorded as living with grandparents identified as head of household. That number is nearly twice what it was in the 2000 census. Sometimes grandparents must take over a child who […]
August 28, 2011

What is Elder Law?

More and more these days, people are asking me about Elder Law. As the nation ages, it has become an important part of our legal system. Grandparent rights are part of Elder Law, but they are not the only part. If you don’t know what Elder Law is, you should learn. Elder Law is a composition of legislations that determine the rights and obligations that apply to those who are considered elderly. Elder applies to anyone who is, knows, or […]
August 20, 2011

Grandparents rights in NC (video)

Check out this video about grandparents rights during a divorce in NC. This a great primer for those needing legal advice. It should help start you on your way toward finding out what you need to do to protect your grandparents rights. For more detailed information, take a look at my book No Greater Loss which deals with these issues in-depth.
August 15, 2011

Grandparents raising grandchildren should consider their situation and their rights

The number of children being raised by their grandparents has risen sharply since the start of the recession in 2007, according to a Pew Research Center study that found one in 10 children in the US now lives with a grandparent. Many people have a lot of questions when it comes to grandparents custody and the consideration of grandparents rights who are caring for their grandchildren. According to the Pew study, almost two-thirds of the grandparents who are primarily responsible […]
August 8, 2011

Grandparents rights in Wisconsin: a victory in court

Grandparents rights in Wisconsin have been upheld due to a recent court case. The Wisconsin Court of Appeals has clarified that when Wisconsin’s “special grandparent visitation provision” applies, petitioning grandparents need not show a “significant triggering event” occurred in order to seek visitation rights of a nonmarital grandchild. You can see the details of the case here. The case is one of many across the country where grandparents rights are winning small victories or losing small defeats due to the […]
August 6, 2011

Are we losing our grandparents rights?

Are grandparents rights slipping away from us? Are we losing them? This question comes at me more and more ever since the terrible Supreme Court decision of Troxell over a decade ago, and every time a battle for grandparents rights is lost or delayed in the courts or legislatures around the country. Grandparents rights are not something that are given to us. It is incumbent upon us to be proactive. I don’t mean that we take something from someone as much as […]
July 31, 2011

Grandparenting Tips: becoming a grandparent via adoption

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 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 parenting, taking your cues from the parent and respecting that the parent is in charge. While you […]
July 18, 2011

New study: Grandparents make safer drivers!

Overprotective parents, hand over the car keys: A new study finds that kids may be safer when their grandparents drive than when mom and dad are behind the wheel. That’s the surprising conclusion of research published today in the journal Pediatrics, which found that children involved in car crashes with grandparent drivers had half the risk of being injured. Check out the study news here: Grandparent drivers keep kids safer