{"id":2857,"date":"2024-02-24T10:52:25","date_gmt":"2024-02-24T15:52:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/?p=2857"},"modified":"2024-02-22T11:11:33","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T16:11:33","slug":"can-i-seek-custody-of-my-grandchild","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/?p=2857","title":{"rendered":"Can I seek custody of my grandchild?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>From time to time we get inquiries from concerned grandparents asking if they can obtain custody of their grandchildren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, grandparents in New Jersey can seek custody of their grandchildren under certain circumstances. In New Jersey, grandparents can file for custody or visitation rights under the following conditions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Death or incapacity of a parent:<\/strong> If one or both parents are deceased or incapacitated, grandparents can petition the court for custody or visitation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unfitness of parents:<\/strong> If the grandparents can prove that the child&#8217;s parents are unfit or unable to care for the child adequately, they may be granted custody.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Abandonment:<\/strong> If the child has been abandoned by the parents, grandparents can seek custody.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Harm to the child:<\/strong> If there is evidence of harm or potential harm to the child in the care of the parents, grandparents can seek custody to protect the child&#8217;s well-being.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Existing custody order:<\/strong> If there is an existing custody order, grandparents can petition the court for visitation rights if they can demonstrate that it is in the best interests of the child.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s important to note that grandparents seeking custody or visitation rights in New Jersey must demonstrate to the court that granting them custody or visitation would be in the best interests of the child. The court will consider various factors, including the relationship between the child and the grandparents, the child&#8217;s preference (if the child is old enough to express a preference), the ability of the grandparents to provide a stable and loving environment, and any other relevant factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Grandparents in New Jersey who are considering seeking custody or visitation rights should consult with a family law attorney who can provide guidance specific to their situation and help them navigate the legal process<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From time to time we get inquiries from concerned grandparents asking if they can obtain custody of their grandchildren. Yes, grandparents in New Jersey can seek custody of their grandchildren under certain circumstances. In New Jersey, grandparents can file for &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/?p=2857\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2875,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-durstfirm-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/pexels-photo-5960399.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6omM8-K5","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1241,"url":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/?p=1241","url_meta":{"origin":2857,"position":0},"title":"Important case for grandparent&#8217;s rights","author":"Sandy Durst","date":"January 26, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"In a recent decision the court has upheld the importance of the role grandparents play in the lives of their grandchildren.\u00a0 This case also recognizes the vital roles attorneys play in the legal system and the benefit counsel can provide to clients. FAMILY LAW 20-2-2501 R.K. v. D.L., App. Div.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Durst Firm News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Durst Firm News","link":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/?cat=28"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2809,"url":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/?p=2809","url_meta":{"origin":2857,"position":1},"title":"Will the judge interview our child?","author":"Sandy Durst","date":"May 9, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"When parents are unable to agree on an appropriate custodial arrangement for their child, a judge may be called upon to make a decision in a New Jersey custody case. In some instances, the judge may choose to interview the child to gain an understanding of the child\u2019s wishes and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Durst Firm News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Durst Firm News","link":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/?cat=28"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3022,"url":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/?p=3022","url_meta":{"origin":2857,"position":2},"title":"Explaining the role of a custody evaluator in your divorce case","author":"Sandy Durst","date":"June 5, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"In a divorce case, a custody expert\u2014often called a custody evaluator or child custody expert\u2014plays a crucial role in helping the court determine what custody arrangement is in the best interests of the child. Here's an overview of their role: 1. Neutral Third-Party Evaluator Custody experts are appointed by the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Durst Firm News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Durst Firm News","link":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/?cat=28"},"img":{"alt_text":"boy sitting with brown bear plush toy on selective focus photo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedurstfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/baby-teddy-bear-cute-39369.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedurstfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/baby-teddy-bear-cute-39369.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedurstfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/baby-teddy-bear-cute-39369.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedurstfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/baby-teddy-bear-cute-39369.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedurstfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/baby-teddy-bear-cute-39369.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedurstfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/baby-teddy-bear-cute-39369.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1224,"url":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/?p=1224","url_meta":{"origin":2857,"position":3},"title":"Grandparents in NJ may have harder time obtaining visitation with grandchildren","author":"Sandy Durst","date":"December 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"A proposed bill in NJ is attempting to minimize the role of grandparents in the lives of children of divorce.\u00a0 At\u00a0a time when children need all the support available, this bill just doesn't make sense. \u00a0 Bill Would Erect High Hurdles to Grandparents Seeking Visitation Legislation that would toughen New\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Durst Firm News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Durst Firm News","link":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/?cat=28"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1373,"url":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/?p=1373","url_meta":{"origin":2857,"position":4},"title":"Does my child get to decide what parent he wants to live with?","author":"Sandy Durst","date":"May 3, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"many divorce cases involve legitimate issues of custody and parenting time. For my clients who find themselves in the situation it is understandably a frustrating and emotionally draining aspect of their case. \u00a0No matter how the issue of custody is resolved undeniable that each parent will have lots of time\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Durst Firm News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Durst Firm News","link":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/?cat=28"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":966,"url":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/?p=966","url_meta":{"origin":2857,"position":5},"title":"Parent committed child abuse by making false claims of sexual abuse","author":"Sandy Durst","date":"December 5, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Parties going through a divorce often seek out any advantage they belief will give them the upper hand and increase their chances of realizing a favorable outcome.\u00a0\u00a0 When dealing with the emotional issue of child support and custody, parents often feel compelled to exaggerate or even fabricate allegations which would\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Durst on Divorce&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Durst on Divorce","link":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/?cat=27"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2857","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2857"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2857\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2876,"href":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2857\/revisions\/2876"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2857"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2857"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedurstfirm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2857"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}