If you need to make sure that you are able to see your grandchildren and protect your rights to do so, it is important that you hire the help of a grandparent's rights lawyer that can help you out. By contacting Todd Spodek and his esteemed law firm, you will have the chance to break through the barriers that are keeping you from the child. These situations happen in divorce and separation cases, particularly when you are not on the same page with the child's parents. The more that you know about grandparent's rights in the state of New York, the better results you can hope to get if the matter goes to court. With this in the back of your head, get the most out of these tips and hire a grandparent's rights lawyer that is capable of helping you out. Contact a law firm to get started on your case Your first approach needs to be reaching out to a law firm that handles grandparents rights cases. There are plenty of family law firms in the state of New York, but not all are created equally. If you are seeking assistance from one of these law firms, it is important that you contact them early in the process in order to start mediation. By seeking mediation first, you will get the best outcome of your case. If mediation happens to fail, your attorney will be happy to take the next step of filing a petition for visitation. The courts will consider the relationship that you had with your grandkids, among other measures. This is why choosing a great lawyer is so crucial, since it is up to them to put together evidence to help you. Negotiate as much as you can Taking the time to negotiate will reduce your legal fees and also allow you to guarantee the most favorable outcome. Todd Spodek and his legal attorneys are the most experienced around when it comes to negotiating with your grandchildren's parents. This is most beneficial for everyone involved, since people will be able to hear each other's point of view while putting together a reasonable agreement. Be aware of your rights As a grandparent in the state of New York, you need to be confident in the fact that this is a right and not a preference. As long as you can prove that you had a positive and meaningful relationship with your grandchildren prior to not being able to see them, you will be able to do what is best for the child and stay involved in their lives. By understanding your rights, you and your law firm will be able to put forth the most favorable case. When you consider these tips, you will get the chance to receive legal aid as a grandparent hoping to maintain visitation rights with a grandchild. The state of New York has certain provisions related to grandparents rights, so always take advantage of this and hire the assistance of a family law firm. By contacting Todd Spodek, you will be able to get started on your grandparents rights case and can take solace that it will be handled properly and under the guidance of a great law firm.

Can supervised visitation be a condition in our custody agreement?

If the court believes the parent is untrustworthy, or potentially dangerous, the court can submit that all visits be supervised. It can include this in the custody agreement. The judge can order supervised, or restricted, visits, if the judge believes the child's welfare will be endangered as a result of regular visits. The goal of a supervised visit is to allow the child an opportunity to maintain ongoing relationships with the original parent - while in a safe setting. The supervised visitation will generally take place in the presence of a visitation monitor, or someone who can be held responsible for overseeing the visit between the child and parent. The point of this is to ensure the child remains safe, and isn't objected to inappropriate activity. Here are examples where a court might agree to a supervised visit: -Threat of kidnapping -Non custodial parent has a history of drug, or alcohol abuse -Threat of physical, mental, or sexual abuse -Parent is suicidal The judge responsible for your case will do everything in his judgement, to ensure the "best interest of the child," is preserved. He will determine if unobstructed visitation would endanger the child's health. The judge will decide of a visitation monitor is required or not. Judges may require the non-custodial parent to attend anger management/parenting classes, before letting him, or her, to get ANY visitation at all. If you have other questions, please speak to one of our NYC matrimonial lawyers today.