Helping Grandparents Pursue Child Custody

Grandparents play a significant role in the lives of their grandchildren. However, sometimes parents will attempt to prevent grandparents from seeing their grandchildren. In other situations, parents may not be fit to care for their children and a grandparent may wish to seek custody. At the law firm of Hawthorne & Vesper, PLLC, our attorneys can help with issues involving child custody and visitation, and the rights of grandparents.

When Can A Grandparent Gain Custody?

The law will always favor a child’s biological parents and will attempt to keep parents and children together whenever possible. However, the state of New York does establish custody rights for grandparents under “extraordinary circumstances.” Some examples of circumstances where a grandparent may be granted custody include situations when grandparents have spent the majority of their time raising and caring for a child, or when parents are neglectful, abusive or are otherwise unfit to care for their child.

The burden of showing extraordinary circumstances can be a difficult one to overcome. However, our lawyers are effective advocates for children and grandparents, and we can help you establish and assert your rights to having a relationship with your grandchildren.

Contact Us To Find Out More About Your Rights As A Grandparent

We can help determine the best path forward for maintaining a relationship with your grandchildren, including possible adoption or establishing a guardianship. To schedule a consultation with our attorneys, call us at 716-261-9835. You may also contact us online. From our offices in downtown Buffalo, we provide representation to people throughout western New York.