A Petition for an Allocation of Parental Responsibilities (APR) does just what it sounds like – it establishes the parental responsibilities (parenting time, decision-making and child support) of a child. Most commonly, this is filed between two parents who are not married. However, there are some circumstances when a non-parent of a child may file:
- If the child is not in the care of either parent
- If the child has been in the physical custody of the non-parent filing the Allocation of Parental Rights for the last six months AND is filing with the Court within six months of the child leaving their physical care
- If the non-parent has been given custody of the child through a juvenile proceeding (generally through social services)
Even if a non-parent is awarded parental responsibilities through an APR case, this does not terminate the parental rights of the parent.
If you have questions about a case involving the Allocation of Parental Responsibilities, contact us to schedule a free 30-minute initial consultation.