Q: What steps do grandparents take for permanent guardianship of grandchildren?
My husband and I brought our grandson home from the hospital to prevent him from going into state custody. My stepdaughter has an open CPS case with another child as she has been deemed unfit to care for her children. The case worker allowed us to submit a statement which was signed by a notary to the state in order to prevent my grandson from going to the system we were advised that we need to petition the court for permanent custody and have no idea of where to start. She provided me with a statement from family children services to help show why my stepdaughter is unable to care for her children and why she does not have custody. We do not know where to start or what to do
A: I would advise you to hire an attorney to represent you in this situation. Because an attorney can draft the proper documents and file them with the court. An attorney can also speak to the Department of Family & Children's Services on your behalf, which will make the process go much smoother for you. Because if you handle this matter yourself, it will take longer and be more difficult.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.