Grandparents' Rights Attorney in Indianapolis
Can grandparents get visitation or custody rights of their grandchildren?
When parents
divorce, most people focus on mitigating the impact that the divorce will have
on the relationships between the parents and their children. As important
as this focus is, it does not include the full picture. A divorce will
often cause major rifts in relationships throughout the family, sometimes
resulting in grandparents being cut off from the grandchildren they love so much.
This is especially true in cases in which the parent who has received rights of
child custody is opposed to allowing the grandparents on the other spouse's side
of the family have time with the children. Fortunately, you may be able
to petition for rights of visitation with your grandchildren.
The Circumstances under Which Courts Will Grant Grandparents' Rights
A grandparents' rights petition is possible only under certain circumstances.
The parents must have divorced or one of them must have passed away. In
cases in which paternal grandparents are seeking visitation rights with
a grandchild who was born out of wedlock, it will first be necessary to
carry out a
paternity action in order to legally establish the biological relationship.
If these conditions have been met, a family law attorney can represent
you in bringing a petition to the court. It is always best to first seek
to negotiate for visitation rights out of court before bringing the matter
before a judge for a formal approval and legalization of the agreement;
it is also possible to bring the case to court as a contested matter.
How a Grandparents' Rights Case Is Decided
When hearing a petition for grandparents' visitation rights, the court
will review all of the evidence in the case to determine what is in the
best interests of the grandchildren. The judge will examine the circumstances
of the children, parents and grandparents; will inquire into whether or
not the grandparents have made reasonable efforts to have a relationship
with the grandchildren; and will rule in favor of an arrangement that
serves the needs of the grandchildren.
There is no guarantee of success in such a case, but you can greatly improve
your chances of obtaining favorable outcome by working with an Indianapolis
grandparents' rights attorney from
Bowen & Associates, LLC. With more than a decade of experience, we have proven our ability to
get results.
Contact us now for a
free case evaluation!