Child Custody in Philadelphia
During and after your separation or divorce in Philadelphia your primary concern is likely to be for the welfare of your children. Certainly, the family courts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey encourage parents to work out an agreement regarding custody and visitation through effective negotiations or useful mediation. It is always better for a parent to come up with a solution than a judge. Factors considered in custody disputes include the location of each parent's home, the role of each parent as caregiver in the past; schools; finances; and for older children, the preferences of the child. There are 15 social and economic factors that the courts will consider in making a custody order.
A battle over child custody in Philadelphia may extend beyond the child's parents and often will involve grandparents or other extended family members. In some cases, a child has been left temporarily with a relative. If the non-parent was voluntarily given the child and had custody for more than 12 months, that person stands in the place of the parent(s) in loco parentis. If a later custody dispute should arise, these factors are important to know and present to the court. In other cases, grandparents may be seeking visitation privileges. Many children have profound relationships with their grandparents that are thwarted by others who seek to disrupt relationships that are important to the child.
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