Emergency Custody in Montgomery County

Some things cannot wait for the assigned hearing date, which can often be months into the future. This is especially true in child custody matters when one parent is not allowing the other parent to see the child. Emergency Custody is unique to the Philadelphia family courts. Instead of waiting several months for a court date, urgent cases are brought before a judge within four to five weeks or even sooner if there is an emergency.

For detailed information, contact our office at (610) 365-4733 today.

Accelerating the Timetable for Urgent Child Custody Matters

In a typical custody case, the first court date is several months away. This is unacceptable if one parent has declared custody and refuses to let the other parent have visitation. The other parent should not have to wait five or six months to see his or her children.

Emergency Custody gets a case in front of a judge much sooner. In a short hearing, the judge can rule on the specific legal issue at hand, and the non-emergency issues can be dealt with at the later trial date.

There are several factors that determine if your case is a good candidate for expedited hearing such as:

• Temporary custody orders when parents separate: If there is no other custody arrangement in place than a temporary order, it could be beneficial to expedite the custody hearing before the matter becomes an issue.
• Refusal of visitation rights: If parents have joint custody of the child and one parent is refusing to let the other see the child, they could request an expedited hearing to resolve the issue.
• Parent relocation: If a custodial parent relocates without informing the court, the other party could seek an expedited hearing to confront the parent and amend the custody arrangement.
• Temporary travel with the children: If a parent decides to travel with their child, they must first notify the other parent of this plan. However, if they do not inform the other parent and/or it conflicts with the custody arrangement, then the other parent could seek an expedited hearing.
• Sole custody (imminent danger to the child): If the child is in immediate danger, an expedited hearing could ensure the issue is handled quickly.

Count on Our Lawyers to Provide Aggressive & Experienced Representation

At Testa & Pagnanelli, LLC, our Emergency Custody attorneys in Montgomery County understand the severity of seeking this legal action. We will aggressively fight for your child’s best interests and ensure the protection of your rights.

For your free initial consultation, call us directly at (610) 365-4733 or complete our online contact form today.