In many families, grandparents are often heavily involved in child rearing. In fact, grandparents sometimes act as primary caretakers of the children.
In light of this, an increasing number of grandparents are exercising their rights to maintain a relationship with their grandchildren. Arizona law dictates that grandparents have the right to request visitation of their grandchildren in the following scenarios:
- The grandchild’s parents are divorced, legally separated, or have had their marriage annulled
- Custody of the child was given to someone other than the child’s parents
- One of the child’s parents have passed away
If the court deems that regular visits with a child’s grandparents are in the child’s best interests in any of these situations, then visitation rights may be granted. Take note that while grandparents have the right to request for visitation with a grandchild, they do not necessarily have the right to be granted visitation rights.
It is best to work with a trusted Phoenix grandparents’ rights attorney from Goldman Law, LLC to better your chances of obtaining the visitation rights you seek from the court.
Custody Cases and Grandparents’ Rights
Grandparents’ rights typically refer to visitation rights that grandparents may have with their grandchildren. In some instances, however, such rights may extend to requesting for sole or partial custody of a grandchild.
According to state law, a grandparent may file for custody of a grandchild in the following circumstances:
- When a child is removed from his or her home by law enforcement officials – In the event of alleged acts of abuse by one parent in the home or similar situations, grandparents may be given preference over other foster parents in obtaining child custody
- When a grandparent who has been physically caring for the grandchild would like to have parental responsibilities over him or her
- When a grandparent has provided physical care to the grandchild for a minimum of 6 months within the last 6 months and would like some parental responsibilities over the grandchild
Modifying or Terminating Grandparents’ Rights
Grandparents’ rights, as with other aspects of child custody cases, may be modified or even terminated in the future should certain circumstances or events warrant the change. Common examples of such circumstances that necessitate the modification of termination of grandparents’ rights include:
- The legal adoption of the grandchild
- The parent—the child of the grandparents—loses parental rights and custody over the child
- The best interests of the grandchild evolving
Contact the Phoenix Grandparents’ Rights Attorneys at Goldman Law, LLC
If you are a grandparent looking to obtain visitation rights or custody of your grandchild, contact the attorneys at Goldman Law, LLC. We are ready to help you resolve your case as favorably as possible. When you choose to work with our law firm, you can rest assured that we will provide superior legal representation and stand up for your rights.
Call Goldman Law, LLC at (602) 698-5520 or email us using the contact form on this page to learn more about your rights and receive a professional case evaluation. We serve clients in Phoenix and all throughout Arizona.
