Since the US Supreme Court decided Troxel v. Granville in 2000, grandparents have had an uphill battle obtaining grandparent visitation. While the New Jersey standard was set in Moriarty v. Bradt a few years later (a case...more
Grandparents may seek custody of, or visitation with, a minor child. However, custody and visitation, although often used interchangeably, are not synonyms under North Carolina law. The distinction is important, especially as...more
The April 26 decision in Hoover v. Lewis v. Cohen is emblematic of the slow moving crisis Pennsylvania and other family courts are experiencing. Not only are American families hard to manage today but we are having challenges...more
We have done a lot of complaining lately about some pretty bizarre cases. Then, along comes Schultz v. Schultz and Passetti; an important case that merits being published because it makes important law and is a credit to the...more
Grandparents can play an important role in the lives of their grandchildren. Undoubtedly, many children have deep and inseparable bonds with their grandparents. When parents are married, or together, many grandparents can get...more
One of the important areas of child custody law as it has evolved in the past decade relates to when a grandparent has the legal right (or standing) to pursue claims for partial custody of a grandchild. This is a place where...more
“Standing” is what lawyers define as “the right to be involved in the litigation” and this has been a hot topic in recent years as many grandparents find themselves immersed in controversies related to their grandchildren. In...more
North Carolina treats grandparents seeking custody like any other third-party or non-parent. If a grandparent is seeking custody of a child, he or she may file an action for custody or seek to intervene in a pending...more
In Pennsylvania, a parent of a minor child may file an action for physical and/or legal custody of the child. In certain circumstances, this right is also extended to grandparents and third parties who stand in loco parentis...more
This is an action brought by grandparents against Westmoreland County concerning their grandchild. The County had initiated dependency proceedings involving the grandchild based upon allegations that the biological parents...more
Grandparent visitation is a unique area of family law that presents interesting case law every few years and seems to be growing with time and modern families. We have blogged about this issue, including the requirement to...more
On July 4, 2018, two amendments to the Pennsylvania child custody laws went into effect making it easier for grandparents and other third parties to seek custody of a minor child. Specifically, Section 5324 and Section...more
A major Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision has tipped the scales against grandparents who attempt to seek custody of their grandchildren during a marital separation. The decision, handed down, ironically, just a day...more
Do grandparents have any rights to see their grandchildren? Consider the case K.T. v. L.S., 118 A.3d 1136 (Pa. Super. 2015), in which the Pennsylvania Superior Court awarded partial child custody to a set of grandparents...more
In June 2015, the Pennsylvania Superior Court, in K.T. v. L.S., provided partial child custody to the children's paternal grandparents over mother's objection....more
D.G. & D.G. v. D.B.& G.V., 91 A.3d 706 (Pa. Super. May 2, 2014) - The D.G. & D.G. v. D.B. & G.V. custody action was originally commenced in 2009 when Grandmother sought partial physical custody of the Child, E.B....more