Grandparent Rights
Generally, it is very difficult for a third party to obtain custody rights over a minor child. The Pennsylvania State Legislature has carved out certain exceptions to this general rule. One set of exceptions applies to grandparents. The Pennsylvania State Legislature has recognized that grandparents develop a special relationship with their grandchildren and that this relationship needs to be protected under certain circumstances.
The circumstances to which grandparents are entitled to petition the Court include the situation where the parents' marriage is dissolved or the parents are separated, when the minor child has resided with the grandparents or when a parent is deceased. If any of these circumstances exist, a grandparent is entitled to request custody/visitation from the Court.
If you have questions concerning grandparent rights, call our office at 724-216-6433 or contact us via email on the "contact us" page.
