Grandfather's rights?

[meg1225]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Pennsylvania

I grew up with an abusive and then eventually absent father. I haven't had a relationship with him in over 20 years and what I do remember was basically awful. My mother remarried when I was younger and that gentleman became my dad. Since then, I've had a great family life.

Now I'm 30, married, and pregnant with my first child. I have heard through distant family members that my biological father would want to be invovled in my child's life. This is something that my husband and I are very much opposed to.

My question is, does he have any legal rights to visit my child? I would hope that as the parents it would be our decision on who to let into our child's life - and to protect them from being around anyone that we feel may cause them harm. But I would like to know if there is any legal rights that he may have to the baby.

Thank you in advance.

[Antigone*of*Greece]

Originally Posted by meg1225

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Pennsylvania

I grew up with an abusive and then eventually absent father. I haven't had a relationship with him in over 20 years and what I do remember was basically awful. My mother remarried when I was younger and that gentleman became my dad. Since then, I've had a great family life.

Now I'm 30, married, and pregnant with my first child. I have heard through distant family members that my biological father would want to be invovled in my child's life. This is something that my husband and I are very much opposed to.

My question is, does he have any legal rights to visit my child? I would hope that as the parents it would be our decision on who to let into our child's life - and to protect them from being around anyone that we feel may cause them harm. But I would like to know if there is any legal rights that he may have to the baby.

Thank you in advance.

Congratulations on your baby . You don't have to let him anywhere near you or your baby ~ at this point he has no legal rights whatsoever!!!!

[LdiJ]

Originally Posted by meg1225

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Pennsylvania

I grew up with an abusive and then eventually absent father. I haven't had a relationship with him in over 20 years and what I do remember was basically awful. My mother remarried when I was younger and that gentleman became my dad. Since then, I've had a great family life.

Now I'm 30, married, and pregnant with my first child. I have heard through distant family members that my biological father would want to be invovled in my child's life. This is something that my husband and I are very much opposed to.

My question is, does he have any legal rights to visit my child? I would hope that as the parents it would be our decision on who to let into our child's life - and to protect them from being around anyone that we feel may cause them harm. But I would like to know if there is any legal rights that he may have to the baby.

Thank you in advance.

He has absolutely no legal rights whatsoever to your child. Since you and your husband are an intact family, he also has no standing to file suit to obtain any kind of visitation rights.

Now, that may not stop him from trying, and it may not stop a PA judge from trying to force you to mediate/come to an agreement with him, but unless he finds a lawyer who is willing to take his money, no matter how much of a loser his case is, its never going to come to that....and if it does, he has no viable chance of winning.

Forget about what you are hearing from distant family...and just enjoy your pregnancy and your baby.