Help… How Do I Get Rid of Grandparent Rights?

Seeking Advice
1

I’m in PA, and my parents have court-ordered grandparent rights to my child. I had typed up 40 pages explaining everything, but it was too long to post. I feel completely stuck. Every lawyer I’ve talked to says I have no chance.

I live in a small county where the system is all about who you know. My child’s grandmother did so many shady and illegal things to get these rights, and I can’t undo it!

I have a full timeline and all the details if anyone is willing to go over it with me. I’m in my first year of law school, but family law is not my thing. This whole situation is destroying my mental health because of the abuse my parents keep putting me through. I need help!

2

Not a lawyer, but I’ve heard it said that Family Court is where the Constitution goes to die. If the court already ruled that grandparent rights were in the child’s best interest, it’s going to be really hard to undo. The only way is to prove there’s been a big change in circumstances since the ruling. The court is likely to think that if the rights are revoked, the child will never see the grandparents again.

You’ve talked to multiple lawyers, and they all told you this won’t work. That tells me the case isn’t strong. If you want any shot, you’d need to prove your parents lied AND that your child is actually suffering because of them.

Also, take a step back and ask yourself— is this about protecting your child, or is this about your past with your parents? I hope you find peace in all this.

3

There’s a lot you haven’t told us. Courts don’t just give grandparents rights for no reason. You say it’s a ‘good old boys’ system, but what exactly did they present in court to win this case? You need to focus on the legal side of it.

If no lawyer in your area will take it, go to a bigger city where they don’t care about small-town politics. I hope you find a way through this.

4

@Finlo
That might be true in most states, but Pennsylvania is different when it comes to grandparent rights. They even have laws requiring adult children to financially support their parents in some cases.

Not a lawyer, just something to keep in mind.

5

@Finlo
PA’s grandparent rights laws are a mess. People keep saying, ‘Just prove they lied!’ but even if you do, the judge might say that should’ve been handled on appeal. The smaller the county, the worse it is. Judges don’t like outside lawyers and have too much control over cases like this.

6

If you want real advice, post the court order and the reasoning behind the judge’s decision.

7

Do they have actual custody or just visitation?

Why were they given these rights in the first place? Saying ‘the system is corrupt’ isn’t helpful. What did the court base their decision on?

8

You’re a 1L— you should know this. If multiple lawyers have told you it won’t work, you’re not going to find a better answer on a forum.

9

You’ve given zero details, so no one can give you real advice.

10

Do they have custody or just visitation rights?

11

There’s already a court order in place. Reversing it is going to be extremely difficult and expensive.

12

40 pages is too much, but this post doesn’t say anything about why your parents got these rights.

13

How long did your child live with your parents?

14

More details would help. That said, if every lawyer you’ve talked to says no, that’s probably your answer.

15

PA has strict rules about this. Did your child live with their grandparents for six months? That’s usually how they get these rights.

16

Tariq said:
PA has strict rules about this. Did your child live with their grandparents for six months? That’s usually how they get these rights.

That rule doesn’t always apply.

17

Yan said:

Tariq said:
PA has strict rules about this. Did your child live with their grandparents for six months? That’s usually how they get these rights.

That rule doesn’t always apply.

PA law is very specific on this.

18

You haven’t provided enough info. We don’t need 40 pages, but we do need the basics:

  • What’s your relationship with your parents like?
  • Do they have custody or just visitation?
  • What kind of abuse are you talking about?

You already talked to multiple lawyers, and they all said you don’t have a case. That might be your answer.

19

What exactly are your parents doing that’s abusive or illegal? Why were they given rights in the first place? Grandparents don’t just get rights when both parents are alive— something had to happen.

Every lawyer you talked to has more experience than anyone here. What reason did they give you for saying this won’t work?

20

@Firth
In PA, grandparents can apply for rights if the parents split up. That’s enough for them to get their foot in the door. If they’re financially stable and the parents aren’t, the courts tend to favor them.