should I get guardianship or custody of grandchild?

Why should you be in charge of raising this baby? Because you have done such a stellar job with your own daughter?

IN ORDER TO DELETE A JUDGMENTAL OR MEAN COMMENT, YOU HAVE TO READ IT FIRST!

If your daughter and the baby's father agree to give you custody, applying for third-party custody is fairly simple, at least in my state. A family law attorney can tell you what paperwork you need. The parents would have to sign your application for custody. Paperwork would include a CPS background check and a criminal background check (for you and for every other adult living in your household.) Then you'd file everything with the court; filing fees are about $260 where I live (which doesn't include lawyer's fees or fees for criminal background checks.) Custody would be approved the same day, and finalized several weeks later.

If one or both of the parents refuses to sign the paperwork, then the process is similar except that a date would be set for both sides to present their arguments in court. You'd need to be able to demonstrate that it's not in your grandchild's interests to remain with the parents.

The process may be slightly different in your state, but probably pretty close.

You can't take guardianship, but she can give you guardianship.

Is she willing?

You basically are telling a mother she is no good and doesn't deserve to raise her baby. Think about that. Good moms teach their kids who to plan and develop healthy homemaking skills, and not trying to snatch the grandbaby. Your daughter needs to learn. Be a parent and teach her!

Unless your daughter willingly consents to this, you would have to fight for custody in court at which point you would have to prove she's unfit to parent.

If the father of this baby is in the picture and named on the BC, you may need his consent as well and his parents can be a competing party. They can petition the court for custody.

Only wanting the child temporarily may not go over well in court. Removing the child from your care in a few years to go back to bio mom will affect the child's well being and stability. If you have your daughter declared unfit by the state and you're unable to care for the child long term, the state could decide to take the baby and place him/her in foster care at which point after some time would terminate her parental rights if she's not abiding by or passing parenting plans set in place by the court and the child would then be free and clear for adoption. If the state terminated her rights, that also terminates your rights to the child.

Given that your teenage daughter got knocked up, your own parenting skills will come into question. Like that comment or not, the court is also going to bring that up. So would an attorney representing your daughter.

Both

actually, you could raise the child. plenty of people do so until well into their late 60s or 70s.

family court [or the one that has this function in your location] is where you go to get guardianship. the clerks will help you with forms, but the whole thing will be much easier if you hire an attorney

I think you need to back off and let your daughter sink or swim as a parent. That would be the best thing for both your daughter and grandchild.

If your intuition is telling you to rescue this child, then do it. Too many kids nowadays are raised by irresponsible parents who were never ready or equipped to be parents in the first place. Her being a child herself explains everything.

You NEED to go see a local attorney - find a good family law attorney who works in your county court. They can advise you on what you need, and help you set that up. You'd need custody in order to restrict the movement of the child, and you'll likely get it easily since your daughter is underage.

Congratulations on your new grandchild, and good luck with the new responsibility.