Today, millions of children are being raised by grandparents, friends, neighbors, and sometimes, total strangers. This trend is growing each year. In this situation, these individuals acting as “parents” have no legal rights to the children they are raising, despite the fact they are providing for all aspects of their physical and emotional well-being. Practically speaking, this reality can create a multitude of problems for the caretakers, from enrolling the children in school to obtaining health care. All the while, the children are bonding with this caregiver like a biological parent. However, sometimes a parent just shows up years later ... Read More
Tag: biological parents
18
Jun2018
19
Feb2018
In many homes across America today, a grandparent (or third party) is the one raising a child or children of the biological parents. This may be for many reasons; typically, it is due to the instability of a parent, physical or mental health issues, drug use, incarceration of a parent or a pure lack of the ability and/or desire of a biological parent, well, to parent. This blog addresses what happens when a grandparent (or third party) becomes a bonded caregiver for such children and what steps they can take to keep “custody” in the child’s best interests.
Over time, a ... Read More
07
Jul2016
All issues involving child custody and child support have significant social, political, economic and psychological dynamics operating within the legal system and controlling laws. Two key policies that support the law is to maintain the child with a style of living as if the parents were married and meet the child’s best interests.
In the very broad area, this blog post explores three trends that are slowly changing domestic law across the country: joint custody, child support ending at age 18, and third parties obtaining custody. At present, the parent who is not awarded physical custody is given parenting time (overnights) ... Read More
31
May2012
As noted in other blogs by Ciyou & Dixon, P.C., as the dynamics of a family shift, so do the legal issues facing the family. Often, child care and financial support is given by grandparents or other family members if the biological parents are either unable or unwilling to raise their children.
Biological parents may place the responsibility in the hands of others to raise their children, and if this occurs, and the care giver meets the definition of de facto custodian1, they may petition the court for custody. In other words, with the right evidentiary showing (clear and convincing) that ... Read More
08
May2012
The dynamics of what constitutes a “family” have been rapidly changing over the past several decades. What used to be considered family with a mother, father, and two children is no longer the norm, in many cases. Often, families now include step-parents, grandparents, half siblings, etc. This changing make-up of the family unit has led to more complex custody and visitation cases.
As advocates at Ciyou & Dixon, P.C., we often see extended family members or sometimes even unrelated parties who have cared for a child, physically and financially, for a lengthy period of time have the child suddenly taken back ... Read More