Establishing Third-Party Custody

When parents are unable to take care of their child because of issues such as incarceration or drug use, a third party can step in to request nonparental or third-party custody. Often, the person seeking custody is a grandparent or some other blood relative.

Third-party custody is not merely an assertion of grandparents’ rights, which advocates for visitation, but a commitment to the total care and upbringing of the child. At Hansen Law in Yakima, we provide compassionate legal services and are with you every step of the way so you can provide the nurturing and supervision a child needs.

Initiating Custody

A court order is needed to establish nonparental custody legally. This type of custody does not permanently end the parents’ rights to their child. If part of your goal in taking care of your grandchildren is preventing the parents from having the children, at least for the time being, third-party custody is likely the preferable way to go. Legal guardianship is different than third-party custody in that it does not prevent the child’s parents from asserting their custody rights at any time.

Contact Hansen Law Today

When responding to the needs of a child, time is of the essence. Give our legal team a call at 509-388-0160 or contact us online to schedule a initial consultation to talk about your situation with a lawyer.