This blog regularly focuses on parents going through divorce. During divorce, not only are an individual’s financial welfare and rights to certain assets sometimes up in the air, but parents seeking a split must also go through the harrowing process of determining custody and visitation rights. Parents, though, are not the only stakeholders in a child’s life.
While many recent Supreme Court cases around the country have made it clear that parents are the ultimate decision makers in their kids’ lives, grandparents’ rights also exist. Many local families in Minneapolis and St. Paul have likely experienced how vital grandparents can be to a child’s development. Whether it be caring for them during a crisis in the parent’s life, or simply spending quality time during holidays, grandparents can be instrumental in a young person’s childhood.
Unfortunately, divorce can often times upset the cherished relationship between older and younger generations. During periods of family conflict, divorced spouses can take steps to limit or even eliminate a grandparent’s ability to spend time with their grandchild. While a parent is generally given ample discretion to determine what is in the best interest of their child, grandparents do not need to sit idly by if a child is being mistreated or shielded from their company. Fortunately, in Minnesota, grandparents are often able to ask for visitation rights if they are being kept away from their grandchildren.
Local St. Paul family law attorneys have helped grandparents in all sorts of custody and visitation disputes. Whether a grandparent is seeking to take on a legal guardianship role or simply wants to ensure visitation rights, local family lawyers can help explain a grandparent’s rights and what steps can be taken to protect these cherished relationships with their grandkids.
Source: Huffington Post, “Grandparenting children of divorce,” Risa Garon, May 22, 2104