Stepparent And Grandparent Rights Attorney In Gainesville
Stepparents and grandparents take up a unique space in the lives of children, but they are often seen as secondary support or “bonus” parents. However, that space they inhabit is the foundation of a very real relationship with the children in their life, and with that comes certain rights.
It is my job to help you understand those rights and how they work. My name is Candace Williams, and I’m a stepparent and grandparents rights attorney in Gainesville. I have provided hands-on, compassionate, and tough family law services to people who just need to know what to do next. I know how hard it is to feel like the family’s “second string,” but I can help you advocate for and secure your rights to the children you love.
Your Rights In Georgia As A Stepparent
Under Georgia law, without taking additional steps, you have no true rights as a parent, without parental consent from either your spouse or the other parent. However, just because you don’t have clear rights or responsibilities, doesn’t mean you don’t have options.
Stepparents can secure rights in one important way: adoption. If you want to be a greater influence on the life and growth of your spouse’s child, you can pursue adopting them. This will require that the non-custodial parent terminates their parental rights. You also cannot move forward without the permission of your spouse.
Once you have adopted your stepchild, you have all the rights and responsibilities of a parent. This includes visitation rights and potential child support rights if the marriage ends. Your status as a stepparent fundamentally changes after an adoption. It’s a big step, and I can help you complete the process.
When A Grandparent Can Seek Custody
A grandparent in Georgia does not have natural or automatic rights to visitation or custody of their grandchildren. Without legal intervention, the ability to meet with and care for a grandchild is entirely regulated by their parents.
Georgia does allow grandparents to pursue visitation rights in certain situations:
- The parents must be unmarried.
- There cannot be pending visitation or custody litigation.
- The grandparents cannot have filed action for this in the last two years.
However, visitation is a limited form of access that may not be what you want or what your grandchild needs. If you need to take further steps and seek custody, that is possible, but the safety of the child must be in question in fundamental, unavoidable ways. In these situations, grandparents in Gainesville need a grandparents rights attorney.
How Courts Decide All Matters Regarding Children
Whether you are a stepparent or a grandparent, if there is a dispute about the custody of the child, the court will look at the best interests of the child first. These include:
- Their safety
- Their health
- Their access to food
- Their access to housing
- Their education opportunities
- Their relationships
If these needs are in any question, then the court may act to change the custody situation. However, you do not have the burden of proof in your favor. You must prove that giving custody to you is in the best interests of your grandchild or stepchild, and that is something I can help you with in Gainesville as a grandparent rights attorney.
Experience My Dedication To Clients Firsthand; Reach Out Today
I know how hard the system can be on clients who don’t have a regular standing to secure their rights. I know it because I’ve helped clients fight for their right to be there for the kids they care about. I can help you. Call my firm at 470-705-5442 or send an email using this online form.