When parents split and find it difficult to find common ground, family court intervention may be the only way to resolve disputes and ensure the best interests of the children are upheld. While it may be best for the parents to resolves issues outside of a court room, some parents cannot, and there may be underlying issues or allegations that make child custody problems impossible to deal with on their own. Pennsylvania parents who find communication difficult or impossible may be forced to pursue sole decision-making responsibilities through the courts rather than continue to try and communicate together.
One father is in the midst of seeking sole decision-making responsibility for his minor children. The couple was married for more than 20 years, and the marriage was annulled once it was discovered the wife was not legally divorced from her first husband. The couple’s minor children are 16, 14 and 10-year-old twins.
The father insists in a court filing that the mother has kept the children from him. He alleges she has excluded him from important decisions about the children’s medical and education needs. He also alleges abuse and says she has acted inappropriately. The father has asked a judge to allow him to remove items from the home and to have a police escort to do so because of fear of his property being destroyed.
Disputes related to child custody can occur at the time of a split, or even years later, if one parent decides not to cooperate with the other parent or a court order. The filing for sole decision-making responsibility may be a last resort for a parent who feels the other parent is not capable of any input, or it can come about as a relationship deteriorates between parents. The Pennsylvania family court system works tirelessly to ensure the best interests of children but also works to address serious allegations or worries brought forth by one parent pertaining to the other.
Source: orlandosentinel.com, “U.S. Rep Alan Grayson wants custody of kids, calls mom’s behavior ‘bizarre’“, Mike Schneider, June 2, 2015
