Legal Statutes: Pennsylvania

UPDATED October 12, 2012

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• Pennsylvania Statutes (select sections)
  • Title 18. Crimes and Offenses
    • Part I Preliminary Provisions
      • Chapter 1. General Provisions
        • 106. Classes of offenses
      • Chapter 11. Authorized Disposition of Offenders
        • 1101. Fines
        • 1103. Sentence of imprisonment for felony
        • 1104. Sentence of imprisonment for misdemeanors
    • Part II. Definition of Specific Offenses
      • Article B. Offenses Involving Danger to the Person
        • Chapter 27. Assault
          • 2701. Simple assault
          • 2702. Aggravated assault
          • 2705. Recklessly endangering another person
          • 2709. Harassment
          • 2709.1. Stalking
        • Chapter 29. Kidnapping
          • 2901. Kidnapping
          • 2902. Unlawful restraint
          • 2903. False imprisonment
          • 2904. Interference with custody of children
        • Chapter 31. Sexual Offenses
          • Subchapter A General Provisions
            • 3101. Definitions
          • Subchapter B. Definitions of Offenses
            • 3121. Rape
            • 3122.1. Statutory sexual assault
            • 3123. Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
            • 3124.1. Sexual assault
            • 3125. Aggravated indecent assault
            • 3126. Indecent assault
            • 3127. Indecent exposure
      • Article C. Offenses Against Property
        • Chapter 35. Burglary and Other Criminal Intrusion
          • 3503. Criminal trespass
      • Article G. Miscellaneous Offenses
        • Chapter 61. Firearms and Other Dangerous Articles
          • 6105. Persons not to possess, use, manufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms
  • Title 23. Domestic Relations
    • Part IV. Divorce
      • Chapter 31. Preliminary Provisions
        • 3104. Bases of jurisdiction
      • Chapter 33. Dissolution of Marital Status
        • Subchapter A. General Provisions
          • 3301. Grounds for divorce
    • Part VI. Children and Minors
      • Chapter 51. General Provisions
        • 5104. Blood tests to determine paternity
      • Chapter 53. Custody
        • Subchapter A General Provisions
          • 5322. Definitions
          • 5323. Award of custody
          • 5324. Standing for any form of physical custody or legal custody
          • 5325. Standing for partial physical custody and supervised physical custody
          • 5328. Factors to consider when awarding custody
          • 5337. Relocation
      • Chapter 54. Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement
        • Subchapter A. General Provisions
          • 5402. Definitions
        • Subchapter B. Jurisdiction
          • 5421. Initial child custody jurisdiction
          • 5423. Jurisdiction to modify determination
          • 5424. Temporary emergency jurisdiction
          • 5427. Inconvenient forum
        • Subchapter C. Enforcement
          • 5451. Warrant to take physical custody of child
    • Part VII. Abuse of Family
      • Chapter 61. Protection from Abuse
        • 6101. Short title of chapter.
        • 6102. Definitions
        • 6103. Jurisdiction
        • 6104. Full faith and credit and foreign protection orders
        • 6105. Responsibilities of law enforcement agencies
        • 6106. Commencement of proceedings
        • 6107. Hearings
        • 6108. Relief
        • 6108.1. Return of relinquished firearms, other weapons and ammunition and additional relief
        • 6108.2. Relinquishment for consignment sale, lawful transfer or safekeeping
        • 6108.3. Relinquishment to third party for safekeeping
        • 6108.4. Registry or database of firearm ownership
        • 6108.5. Penalties for release of information
        • 6109. Service of orders
        • 6110. Emergency relief by minor judiciary
        • 6111. Domestic violence counselor/advocate
        • 6112. Disclosure of addresses
        • 6113. Arrest for violation of order
        • 6113.1. Private criminal complaints for violation of order or agreement
        • 6114. Contempt for violation of order or agreement
        • 6114.1. Civil contempt or modification for violation of an order or agreement
        • 6115. Reporting abuse and immunity.
        • 6116. Confidentiality Confidentiality.
        • 6117. Procedure and other remedies
      • Chapter 67 Domestic and Sexual Violence Victim Address Confidentiality
        • 6705. Application and certification process
        • 6706. Cancellation, expiration and voluntary withdrawal
    • Part VIII. Uniform Interstate Family Support
      • Chapter 71. General Provisions
        • 7101. Short title of part and definitions
  • Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure
    • Actions Pursuant to Protection from Abuse Act
      • Rule 1901.1. Venue

Subchapter A General Provisions

back to top5324. Standing for any form of physical custody or legal custody

The following individuals may file an action under this chapter for any form of physical custody or legal custody:

(1) A parent of the child.

(2) A person who stands in loco parentis to the child.

(3) A grandparent of the child who is not in loco parentis to the child:

(i) whose relationship with the child began either with the consent of a parent of the child or under a court order;

(ii) who assumes or is willing to assume responsibility for the child; and

(iii) when one of the following conditions is met:

(A) the child has been determined to be a dependent child under 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 (relating to juvenile matters);

(B) the child is substantially at risk due to parental abuse, neglect, drug or alcohol abuse or incapacity; or

(C) the child has, for a period of at least 12 consecutive months, resided with the grandparent, excluding brief temporary absences of the child from the home, and is removed from the home by the parents, in which case the action must be filed within six months after the removal of the child from the home.