Many people are not aware that the law recognizes grandparents rights to have access to their grandchildren.  The majority of the time, if the grandparents have an amicable relationship with their own child, they will make arrangements to see their grandchildren when their child has parenting time.  In these instances, it is not necessary for grandparents to seek visitation through a court order.

If necessary, though, if a grandparent’s child has gone through a custody action, the court can grant reasonable visitation rights to the grandparents if doing so is is the best interests of the (grand)child, and doing so would not interfere with the parent-child relationship.  The court considers the amount of personal contact between the parents of the party and the child prior to the request for visitation.

Visitation Rights

In other instances, when the child’s parent has neglected or abandoned their child, the child’s grandparents may petition for custody of the child based as an “interested third party.”  Grandparents can also petition for custody rights if the grandchild has been living with them and the grandparents have acted as “de facto custodians.”

The statutes governing these actions are highly technical, and it is important that you speak with an attorney in order to understand your rights.

How We Can Help

As a grandparent, you do have certain rights – our team can assess your situation and come up with a solution for you.  Contact the staff at Gadtke & Beyer, LLC today at 952-345-8004 or fill out a form on the side of the page.

Always A Free Consultation

Have questions? Feel free to contact Gadtke & Beyer, LLC today. We offer free consultations to all potential clients - call today at 952-345-8004.