“Standing” is a legal term. It refers to whether a person can bring a matter to court.
In family court, you must have “standing” to pursue a child-custody action.
Of course, a child’s parents always have “standing” to file for custody. For many years, Pennsylvania law has also granted “standing” to grandparents under certain conditions and to a third party who effectively acted as the child’s parent for a period of at least 12 months.
In light of the opiate epidemic, Pennsylvania law has recently allowed “standing” for other third parties under certain circumstances.
The purpose of standing is to protect parents from outsiders such as neighbors or extended family members who may wish to take custody of their child.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law, including: child custody, child support, divorce, and Protection From Abuse (PFA). To schedule a consultation with an experienced family-law attorney, call Spivak Law at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.