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How to Represent the Non-Biological Parent in a Custody Fight

Representing the non-biological parent in a custody dispute today is an uphill struggle. There are only three classes of people under New York statutory law who may seek custody of or visitation with children: parents, siblings, and grandparents (DRL '' 70-72). All others have no standing. And under current case law, biological strangers are legal strangers.

31 minute readJune 30, 2005 at 09:39 AM
By
Kenneth David Burrows
How to Represent the Non-Biological Parent in a Custody Fight

It seems simple enough: Two women, having made an emotional commitment to each other, registered as domestic partners and participated in a ceremonial marriage (New York, of course, does not permit same-sex couples to enter into a civil marriage).

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