Lackawanna County Visitation Attorney

A Clarks Summit Family Lawyer Can Protect Your Rights

If you are a parent, grandparent, or close family member who wishes to pursue visitation rights with a child, you may run into various obstacles. These could threaten your relationship with your child, grandchild, or family member. A Lackawanna County family law attorney at O’Malley Law Office, LLC can help you take the necessary steps to seek and establish visitation rights, partial custody, or even legal custody, depending on the scenario. We have more than 40 years of collective legal experience and work as a team to resolve the toughest of custody and visitation cases in Scranton and Pennsylvania. When your rights are on the line, you can trust our attorneys and support staff to do everything possible to seek the most advantageous outcome. We serve Lackawanna, Wyoming, Luzerne, Monroe, Wayne, and Susquehanna counties.

Interested in learning more? Call (570) 284-3551 for a free case evaluation.

At What Age Can a Child Refuse Visitation in Pennsylvania?

There is no specific age at which a child can refuse visitation in Pennsylvania. However, contrary to popular belief, Pennsylvania law defines a "child" as an ineligible person under 18 years old.

Establishing Visitation in a Divorce or Separation

Visitation refers to time spent with a child, as ordered by the court or agreed upon in a divorce. It may also apply in situations where paternity is established and the father wishes to spend time with his child, or when grandparents or other close family members wish to spend time with a child. Grandparents may have the right to visitation or partial custody if the parents are separated, divorced, or deceased, or the child has lived with the grandparents for at least 12 months. In deciding these matters, the court will look to serve the best interests of the child or children in question.

Pennsylvania courts may consider the following in awarding visitation:

• Where the child is currently living and whether he or she is doing well in this situation;
• Your current and past relationship with the child and involvement in his or her life;
• Whether the child’s parents are divorced, separated, incarcerated, or deceased;
• Your ability to properly care for the child;
• Any current custody or visitation orders that are in place; and
• The child’s own wishes.

You can also work out your own visitation agreement, but we highly recommend getting a court order to ensure such an agreement can be enforced in the future. This can avoid problems and help to protect your right to visit the child.

Contact a skilled Lackawanna County family lawyer at (570) 284-3551 for more information.