Lackawanna County Guardianship Attorney

Seeking Guardianship in Clarks Summit or Lackawanna County?

If you are interested in seeking guardianship of a child, a Lackawanna County guardianship attorney at O’Malley Law Office, LLC can help. We handle guardianship proceedings for grandparents, family members, and others who are qualified to care for a child in need. This may arise in a situation where a child’s parent or parents are unable to provide proper care due to illness, incarceration, drug use, alcohol abuse, disability, or domestic abuse. We can also handle guardianship cases related to disabled persons. Whatever the scenario, we are confident in our ability to approach guardianship with the child’s best interests in mind.

Discuss guardianship and your rights by calling us at (570) 284-3551. Your initial consultation is free and confidential. We serve Lackawanna, Wyoming, Luzerne, Monroe, Wayne, and Susquehanna counties.

Protecting a Child’s Future Through Guardianship

Guardianship is a legal process that allows for a person other than a child’s parent to assume the rights and responsibilities of raising the child. Depending on the specific situation, a legal guardian may have primary or sole custody of a child and may be responsible for making all key decisions about the child’s upbringing, medical care, education, and upbringing. Because these matters are complex and may be contested by the parents, it is important to talk to a Lackawanna County guardianship lawyer about your rights and how best to proceed.

Guardianship typically involves the following steps:

• You file a petition that informs the court that you are interested in seeking guardianship of the child in question.
• The court will then set up interviews with you, the child’s parents (if they are available), the child, and any other interested parties.
• The court may also order a visit or inspection of your home as well as a criminal background check.
• After reviewing the facts presented, the court will determine whether granting you legal guardianship will be in the best interests of the child.
• If the court determines that guardianship is in the child’s best interests, it will issue an order to establish guardianship. You may also be required to sign an oath that says you accept the responsibilities of guardianship.

For more information and insight from our Scranton & Lackawanna County guardianship lawyers, give us a call or contact us online.