Full question:
I live in PA. My granddaughter is visiting from FL & just informed me she is being sexually abused by her father (whom she lives with)(her mother lives here in PA. She does not want to go back to FL. She is 14 & consulted an attorney in FL & was told she would probably be taken from the home & placed in foster care & not allowed to leave the state until age 18. We are all for her leaving the house but we what to know if we will be allowed to petition the court to have her live with us in PA. Her mother has joint custody but he is the current custodial parent. We are trying to determine if we should send her back to contact CYS in FL, or if we should file from here
- Category: Divorce
- Subcategory: Child Custody
- Date:
- State: Pennsylvania
Answer:
There are several options that may be available, including reporting him to CYS, petitioning the court to modify custody to grant sole custody to the mother, and/or petitioning to terminate the father's parental rights. We are prohibited from giving legal advice, as this service provides information of a general legal nature. We suggest you consult a local attorney who can review all the documents and facts involved.
A parent may also have rights terminated, either by voluntary relinquishment or judicial termination. A judicial termination requires proof that the parent is unfit and/or poses a threat of harm to the child. The court may order termination of the parent-child relationship if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the parent engaged in conduct or knowingly placed the child with persons who engaged in conduct which endangers the physical or emotional well-being of the child, or the parent is convicted an a child abuse offense. A termination of parental rights voids any rights and obligations toward the child. The parent will no longer have rights to custody or visitation and will no longer owe a duty of support.
Termination of parental rights will typically end the obligation for child support at that point, but not erase liability for past due support. Often, relinquishment of parental rights will not be allowed if done for the purpose of avoiding child support payments.
When a divorce decree is issued by a court, that court retains jurisdiction to modify its order. A court may grant a motion for a modification of a divorce decree when the parties consent to the modification or when a significant change of circumstances justifies the modification Certain aspects of the decree are modifiable, while others are not. The property division is not modifiable by the court. It is final. Child custody may be modified if there is a significant change of circumstances. The court's decision to grant a modification is based on the best interests of the child. A motion and petition are generally the same thing, they are formals requests to the court for something. If granted, the court will issue an order. When the order is made, the requests in the motion/petition become enforceable.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.
