Grandparents Rights - Will We Still Be Granma & Granpop?

Wouldn't it be great if Grandparents rights were dealt with the same in all 50 states in the U.S.? Every state as this moment in time has it's own laws and this can be very confusing for grandparents looking for information after being denied visitation rights.

I think most people would agree when we look back at our own childhoods that Grandma and Grandad play a very important role in our lives, especially if they live close by and they are in regular contact. Suddenly removing this bond can be devastating to the grandchild and throw the grandparents into emotional turmoil.

This situation can suddenly come about for many reasons and because of this every case has to be treated individually. What is confusing for everyone is that every state's laws are different with regard to grandparents rights. What does seem to be uniform across the states is that if the wishes of the grandparents are deemed to be of benefit to the well being of a child then they will be taken into account and petitions will be heard as they are seen to have a legitimate interest.

But, parents' wishes will very rarely be overruled and if a grandparent still feels that the child's welfare is at risk they will have to prove categorically that their lack of visitation rights will adversely affect the grandchild's health and well being. This is a difficult process unless proof has been documented previously as all parties will no doubt be on their best behavour when making an impression in court.

All of us hope we will never be put in this situation of losing contact with our grandchildren and having to look at what grandparents rights are all about. It is a special relationship between grandparent and grandchild and often very close. It is said that grandchildren are often more enjoyable than children because we have more time on our hands. We have time to listen, to play and to help in our grandchilds development and we certainly have more wisdom and experience the second time around.

Why would the unheard of possibly happen to us? -Relationships with your child and their partner couldn't be better at the moment but consider what would happen if circumstances changed. Consider the following possibilities:

1) Your child dies and the 'in-law' marries again and moves away.

2)The biological parents die and the other grandparents are given custody and feel it is in the grandchilds interest to break all ties with you.

3) The parents divorce and your own child has been refused visitation rights.

4) The parents put the grandchild up for adoption.

An experienced local attorney should be consulted, as the procedures in attempting to get custody and visitation are extremely complicated.

The best way for the grandparent to address the problem is to first try to work with the parent, parents or custodians to stay in the child's life. If there is a concern about the welfare of the child, the best way to keep an eye on the situation is for the grandparent to remain involved. Even if the grandchild has moved across the country, grandparents should try to maintain contact with the child on a regular basis by phone, letters and cards or email.

Article Source: http://articlehideaway.com

If you need clear, concise information of your rights in your particular state, visit the website Grandparents Rights. A site designed to let Grandparents know their legal rights and covering specific state regulations. The first step is to understand what you are legally able to do and how to proceed in the best interest of your grandchild.

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