This blog regularly focuses on issues concerning divorce and child custody as they relate to parents. Such issues, though, may be just as pressing for grandparents. Unfortunately, their rights are often suppressed by parents or other guardians who have direct access and control of the children. The question arises whether grandparents can do anything to enforce their rights.
The first step in answering this question is to determine the extent of those rights. In Minnesota, grandparents’ rights are recognized but are subject to certain limitations. For instance, grandparents may seek visitation rights if a parent dies and they are the parents of that deceased parent. Grandparents may also petition for visitation after a divorce or other separation. Adoption, meanwhile, generally cuts off visitation rights unless the adoption is done within the family.
In addition to visitation rights, grandparents may also have custody rights in the event of an adoption or other parenting scenario. These rights can be akin to a parents’ and be enforced in a similar manner.
Local family lawyers in the St. Paul area have been specializing in grandparents’ rights for decades. These professionals can advise grandparents of their rights and the processes required to enforce those rights. A grandparent’s relationship with a grandchild can be one of the most cherished relationships of one’s lifetime. Given the priority grandparents give their grandkids, they deserve the best legal representation in the event their rights are in jeopardy.
No matter the situation, local Twin Cities area family law attorneys can help grandparents obtain the results they desire and secure a lasting relationship with their grandchildren.
Source: Grandparents.com, “Grandparent Rights: State by State,” Accessed on September 30, 2014