Legal Question in Family Law in Pennsylvania

Re: Child visitation

He would have standing to file a custody complaint. Even though he isn't the child's biological father he has standing due to his acting as a parent all those years. In such an action he would get custody rights such as partial custody that can be enforced by the court.

The key legal term of art is rights.

A right is the legal ability to do something. For example to vote. You may have a right and not exercise it. So you can vote or not they can not make you vote. Compare that to a duty such as jury duty. There if you don't show up they will come after you and make you show up.

So even though it might be in the best interest of the child for him to have a relationship with your daughter you can not make him have one.

That said you could have a custody order put in place confirming custody. So that he can not file later and try to impose a custody arrangement you might not like.

Here in Dauphin County all initial custody complaints go to a master. That is a meeting is held with both parties with their lawyers, if they have them, and a master tries to work out a custody arrangement that the parties agree to.

If an agreement is reached the master drafts the order for the court. The court then adopts it. If there is no agreement the master writes a report to the court outlining the issues. The matter is then set for a hearing in front of a Judge.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me. The initial consultation is free.

{John}