Often when discussing child custody and visitation, we focus on the rights of the parents. But, what about grandparents? It’s obviously important for children to have relationships with their extended family. So, do grandparents have legal rights to see their grandchildren in Wheat Ridge and Jefferson County?
Conditions for Requesting Grandparent Visitation in Arvada and Golden
Grandparents do not have an automatic right to visitation time with their grandchildren. However, there are provisions of the law that allow grandparents to request child custody and visitation time with the court if one of the following circumstances apply:
- The children’s parents are divorced or legally separated;
- The children’s parent (the child of the grandparents) is deceased; or
- The children are in the custody of someone who is not the parent (but this does not apply for children who have been legally adopted – except for a step-parent adoption)
My Son Is Divorced from His Spouse: Can I Get Visitation Rights with My Grandchildren?
Under Colorado law, a grandparent is allowed to request visitation with their grandchild after the child’s parents are divorced. This means that if your son or daughter is still married to their spouse and are, for some reason, not allowing you to have contact with your grandchildren, you cannot request visitation. It is only after the couple is legally separated or divorced that you can pursue the legal request for visitation.
My Daughter Passed Away and Her Husband Is Not Letting Me See My Grandkids: What Can I Do?
If your child has passed away and you are not getting time with their children, you can request visitation time through the court. If the surviving parent is denying you access to your grandchildren, you do have the right to present your case to the Jefferson County family law court.
My Grandkids Were Taken from the Home and Are Living with Relatives: Can I Get Visitation?
If your grandkids have been removed from the care of their biological parents and are in foster care or living with another relative, you can request visitation time. Sometimes, it is not physically or financially possible for grandparents to take custody of their grandchildren in these cases, but that doesn’t mean that they should lose out on seeing them.
If you are a grandparent looking to petition the court for visitation with your grandchildren, contact the best family law attorneys from the Pearman Law Firm at 303-991-7600 for your initial phone consultation.
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