Divorce Advice for Men | Fathers Rights Divorce | Child Custody

Question:

We are grandparents who helped raise our granddaughter for many years before it was revealed that our son was not her biological father.

We have now been shut out of our granddaughter's life because her family says since we are not the biological grandparents we can no longer see her.

Is there any legal recourse we have to see our granddaughter who we helped raise?

By Molly Murphy

Attorney, Cordell & Cordell

In recent years, the issue of whether a grandparent has the right to visitation with a grandchild has become more prevalent. Sadly, when parents decide to get divorced the parents of the non-custodial parent often end up cut off from their grandchildren.

Question: 

Until recently, my daughter has lived with her grandparents. She was sent back to live with us and we would like to transfer her to a school closer to our home than have her travel across town to keep going to her current school.

What do I need to do in order to restore full custody to me so we can do this and other things without the grandmother being involved?

Among the Ask a Divorce Lawyer questions answered today by Cordell & Cordell attorneys:

• If she gets an equity loan on her gifted property, will that debt also be my debt in divorce?
• Do I and my ex wife have to file bankruptcy together or apart?
• In order to keep the house, can we settle on a child support payment amount that is less than the Friend of Court would determine?
• Is infidelity ever taken into account when awarding parenting time or child support?
• Is it considered kidnapping if the father does not consent to his children moving?
• Can grandparents seek custody?
• Can I ask to be my niece's legal guardian even if I'm stationed overseas?
• Where should I file the modification if I don't live where the divorce took place?

Question:

My son has two children with his ex-girlfriend, and they have been separated for more than 3 years. My son technically has joint custody of the kids, but he never sees them. His ex-girlfriend bars me from seeing my grandkids when I visit the city they live in; I travel there every year to see my family who also lives in the area. She has told the kids that I’m dead and that’s why they don’t see me. Is there anything I can do legally about this? Do grandparents have any rights to see their grandchildren following a divorce?