Ultimately when two parents divorce or if one parent dies unexpectedly, a grandparent’s right to have visitation with their grandchildren doesn’t go away. Grandparents do have rights to seek Court orders in California to visit their grandchildren even when their relations with either the ex-spouse of the child or a surviving parent is strained or non-existent (for any reason). When this occurs, it’s important to have a grandparent visitation rights attorney such as Christopher Wasson by your side to grant your wish of visiting your grandchildren. He has represented clients in Encino, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Tarzana, Studio City, Northridge, and Agoura Hills who are seeking visitation with their grandchildren after divorce or death of their son or daughter.
If you’re a grandparent and want information about visitation with your grandchildren, a grandparent visitation rights attorney can help you to understand these rights. Under California law, a grandparent can ask the court for reasonable time with their grandchild or grandchildren. To give them this visitation, the court has to find that there was a pre-existing relationship between the grandparent and the grandchildren that created a bond. Next, they must consider the best interest of the child in having this visitation.
This type of visitation rights cannot be filed for if the parents are still married. However, exceptions include if the parents are living separately, one of the parents joins the petition for visitation, a parent’s whereabouts aren’t known, the child doesn’t live with either of his parents, or if the grandchild was adopted by a stepparent.