Q: Is there any way to have rights to my friend's son?
I met my friend 10 years ago and Ive known her son since he was a toddler and he just just turned 13. Last year his mother had trouble caring for him, so he often stayed with me. He and his mother moved to Pennsylvania to get better support. His parents are divorced and i live in Georgia. If he were to run away to my house or ask to live with me, is there a way to have rights to him before then as a just in case? He has a room i made for him in my house last year so he could have a safe place of his own and i keep it ready in case he visits. He means everything to me and to my family. We would keep/raise him in a heartbeat if needed. If everything stays okay where he is, that's fine. I just want him to have a stable and legal option if things become unstable again. Are there any options?
A: Only the parents have rights to a child. You would have to file in court to obtain legal rights. Otherwise, it is interference of custody.
Homer P Jordan IV agrees with this answer
A: I agree with my colleague. The parents are the only ones that have legal rights to the child. You would need to legally try to get custody rights. -Homer P. Jordan IV, Esq. 404-620-1558 HomerJordan.com
A: Sorry, but the only option is for the parents to sign over guardianship to you. If they don't want to do that, there is nothing you can do to gain rights.
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