In Pennsylvania, Grandparents have the op****tunity to seek custody of
a Grandchild under limited cir***stances. The Pennsylvania Statute
enunciated at 23 Pa.C.S.A. ' 5313, sets forth the cir***stances under
which a Grandparent may petition for Custody of a Grandchild.
A Grandparent may petition for Partial Custody and Visitation where an
unmarried child has resided with his grandparents or great-
grandparents for a period of 12 months or more and is subsequently
removed from the home by his parents. The court will grant the
petition if it finds that visitation rights would be in the "best
interests of the child" and would not interfere with the parent-child
relation****p. The best interests of the child is the standard used in
all custody cases in Pennsylvania. In it core form, the best interests
of the child means what is best for the child's physical, moral,
intellectual and spiritual well being.
A Grandparent may petition for Full Physical and Legal Custody of a
grandchild if it is in the best interest of the child to not be in the
custody of either parent. In order to qualify for such type of
custody, the Grandparent must (1) have genuine care and concern for
the child; (2) have a relation****p with the child which began with the
consent of a parent of the child or pursuant to an order of court; and
(3) who for 12 months or more has assumed the role and
responsibilities of the child's parent, providing for the physical,
emotional and social needs of the child, or who assumes the
responsibility for a child who has been determined to be a dependent
child or who assumes or deems it necessary to assume responsibility
for a child who is substantially at risk due to parental abuse,
neglect, drug or alcohol abuse or mental illness....
More About Custody: http://groups.google.com/group/custodyinfo
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