Grandparents’ Rights Attorney, Massachusetts

Lawyers for Grandparents’ Rights

In many families, grandparents play an important role in the lives of their grandchildren. Generally, courts presume that the best person to make decisions which serve the best interests of a child is his or her parents. In situations where it would be detrimental for the grandparent/grandchild relationship to cease due to the decisions of the parents, Courts can order visitation.

Factors Considered by the Court May Include:

• The well-being of the child
• The parent’s involvement in the child’s life
• The relationship between the child and grandparent
• Any history of abuse by either a parent or grandparent

There are situations when grandparent visitation rights may be denied. For example, a grandparent cannot seek visitation if the grandparent’s child has lost custody due to abuse or when the child has been placed for adoption. In addition, courts have ruled in favor of parents and denied visitation to grandparents when the parents are in a stable relationship and object to the visitation, unless the child would be harmed without visits with the grandparent.

The Child’s Best Interests

Courts generally award visitation to grandparents as long as it serves the best interests of the child and does not substantially interfere with the relationship between the parent and child. Every situation is unique, so it is best to seek advice from an experienced Norfolk County-based grandparents’ rights lawyer to learn how the law applies to your case.