San antonio texas grandparents rights attorney

Grandparents' Page

Grandparents play an important role in their grandchildren's life, and can develop strong bonds that last a lifetime.

Today, every state has some type of grandparent visitation law. Grandparents' rights generally apply to the custody of a grandchild and visitation privileges. Grandparents may file suit requesting custody if they believe it is in the child's best interest. Visitation statutes vary widely from state to state. In Texas, a court can authorize grandparent visitation of a grandchild if visitation is in the child's best interest, and one of the following circumstances exists:

  • The parents divorced;
  • The parent abused or neglected the child;
  • The parent has been incarcerated, found incompetent, or died;
  • A court-order terminated the parent-child relationship; or
  • The child has lived with the grandparent for at least six months.

Visitation statutes do not give a grandparent an absolute right to visitation. Also, a grandparent may not request visitation if the grandchild has been adopted by someone other than the child's step-parent.

If your grandchild lives with you, you may wish to seek custody. As a custodial parent, you can apply for child support. Both parents have a legal obligation to provide financial and medical support for their children. If you have custody, they will be required to pay it to you. You can call our Child Support Division at (800) 252-8014.

Access, Custody and Visitation Referrals

If you have questions about child custody you may want to contact an attorney. The Texas State Bar's Lawyer Referral Service can assist you. You can contact the service at (800) 252-9690.

Other organizations may also be able to help.

The Legal Hotline for Texans
The Hotline provides services to Texas residents age 60 and older. Call (800) 622-2520 or go online at http://www.tlsc.org/legal-hotline-for-texans.html.

Area Agencies on Aging
Area Agencies on Aging provide many services to their communities. You can contact the office in your area by dialing 2-1-1 or by calling the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services at (800) 252-9240.

Texas Access
You can contact the Access and Visitation Hotline with questions about child custody and visitation at (866) 292-4636 or online at http://txaccess.org.

Texas Law Help
Texas Law Help serves as an online resource and provides answers to many common legal questions. You can visit Texas Law Help at www.texaslawhelp.org.

Texas Lawyers Care
Texas Lawyers Care publishes a directory of legal services for low income Texans. You can access the directory on the State Bar of Texas' website.

What Rights Do Grandparents Have In Texas?

In certain circumstances, grandparents in Texas may obtain special rights regarding visitation with their grandchildren following a divorce. If you can demonstrate that you are an integral part of the child’s well-being and have developed emotional ties, the courts may provide for timesharing with the child.

Custody And Guardianship Lawyer For Grandparents

The courts also recognize that many grandparents become the primary caregiver when the child’s biological parent no longer has the capacity to ensure the health and welfare of the child. This area of the law is complex and requires grandparents to have been acting as the primary caregiver with possession of the grandchild for six months or more without having three months pass without possession of the child.

In the alternative, a biological parent may join his or her parents as parties in a Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship to establish primary residence at the grandparent’s house, with biological parents given visitation orders. Grandparents have the legal avenue available to pursue a custody award or legal guardianship on a temporary or permanent basis, if they have standing.

If you are a grandparent in the San Antonio area and are concerned about protecting your rights and access to your grandchild, call me, attorney Rebecca Anne Gonzalez. I have years of experience aggressively working to protect children’s best interests in divorce and custody matters, including helping grandparents remain involved.

Contact Us To Set Up Your Initial Consultation Today

Call my office in San Antonio, Texas, at 210-888-9836 or toll free at 800-823-6321 to schedule an opportunity to sit down together to discuss your situation and the best legal options. I can also be reached by email.

Grandparents’ Rights Lawyer in San Antonio Protecting Your Rights

Grandparents play an important role and can develop strong bonds with their grandchildren that can last a lifetime. Their rights generally apply to the custody of a grandchild and visitation privileges. Grandparents may file suit requesting custody if they believe it is in the child’s best interest.

If your grandchild lives with you, you may wish to seek custody. As a custodial parent, you can apply for child support. If you have custody, both parents have a legal obligation to provide financial and medical support for their children and they will be required to pay it to you.

Having access to a child following a divorce can be crucial for you as a grandparent. Whether you need help with custody and visitation rights or any other family law needs, our law firm can help you fight for your rights. Contact us at (210) 655-9090 for the compassionate legal service you deserve.

What is a Grandparents’ Rights?

After a divorce occurs, a grandparent may lose the ability to maintain a meaningful relationship with their grandchild. If the parents are unable or unwilling to fulfill their parental roles, grandparents may need legal protection to continue having access to grandchildren they love very much. Grandparents’ rights lawyers can help you protect your rights and seek recourse if they have been violated.

A divorce or death can separate you from your grandchildren for years, but caring grandparents deserve the legal right to be involved in their lives even when they live far away. A court may not be able to force-fit new relationships where old ones used to exist, but an experienced lawyer can still fight for you.

For many families, it is essential that children spend time with their grandparents, uncles, or aunts during special holidays and vacations throughout the year. If a parent is unable to take children during these times, a court may order visitation by grandparents or other family members instead.

As a grandparent, you have the right to file suit for custody of your grandchild if parents are deemed unfit by a court. Additionally, you may be able to apply for child support from the parents of the child that lives with you as their custodial guardian. Once awarded, any financial support can help provide for your grandchildren’s needs and improve their quality of life.

In cases where both parents are deceased, legal guardianship falls on relatives such as grandparents who are most likely already taking care of the child anyway. The courts will look closely at what is in the best interests of the child before making a final decision.

If you have been denied visitation or other rights that should be afforded to grandparents, get help from an experienced San Antonio grandparent’s rights attorney. It is important to have legal representation in these matters because there are laws protecting your interests as a grandparent and custodian seeking the right to maintain a consistent relationship with their grandchildren.

Is a Grandparents’ Rights Lawyer for Everyone?

You should always look out for a child’s best interests. If you believe a child’s parents are incompetent or if they have been incarcerated, you may be able to get a court order that allows you access to the child through a visitation or custody agreement. Grandparent visitation rights can be an important step in maintaining a relationship with grandchildren and is often preferred over the intervention of social services.

If you are raising your grandchildren due to parental neglect or poor health, then having custody can not only improve their lives but also provide for financial security as well. While most family members will seek out this option whenever possible, it is ultimately up to a court to decide how things play out.

Whether you plan on filing suit for grandparent visitation rights or grandparents’ rights, we can help you moving forward.

What is Beneficial About Having a Grandparents’ Rights Attorney?

Grandparents’ rights attorneys in San Antonio are here to advocate for your best interests. We understand how difficult it can be to be shut out of the lives of grandchildren you love, but our firm has years of experience in this area of law and is committed to providing the community with compassionate legal service.

Our experienced legal team has seen court cases that take a lot of time involving all types of family law issues. From uncontested divorces to high-asset property division, our legal team is well versed in helping families get through some of their most challenging life events. Our firm is dedicated not only to representing clients but also advocating for your needs as a grandparent or relative guardian hoping to maintain lasting relationships with children who are already part of your family life. We know the rights you have and we will do whatever it takes to uphold them.

Should I Hire a Grandparents’ Rights Attorney?

As a San Antonio grandparents’ rights law firm, we are here to represent your best interests with respect to visitation or custody given the case’s specific circumstances. If you have any questions about grandparent/third-party visitation rights or need legal representation during a hearing, do not hesitate to call our office for more information today at (210) 655-9090.

Can you sue for grandparents rights in Texas?

Grandparents' rights generally apply to the custody of a grandchild and visitation privileges. Grandparents may file suit requesting custody if they believe it is in the child's best interest.
Texas Law. Texas Family Code Section 153.432 gives a biological or adoptive grandparent the ability to request possession or access to a grandchild. Section 153.433 goes on to describe the requirements that must be met before a court can consider granting an order.

Can grandparents be forced to pay child support in Texas?

All grandparents are responsible for child support payments if the parent who should be paying child support does not make good on the payments. This responsibility will last until the parent receiving payments is a legal adult.

What rights do grandparents have?

What rights do grandparents have? Grandparents do not automatically have parental responsibility. This means you do not have any legal rights to see your grandchildren. Unless there's a Court order in place, it is up to the parents to decide who their children see.