Columbus Grandparent Rights Attorney

Do Grandparents Have Rights in Ohio? 

When it comes to divorce, the rights and interests of grandparents can be lost or ignored by the separating parents and by the courts. In recent decades, states have been working to reverse that trend, believing that an ongoing relationship with grandparents is in the child's best interests. The state of Ohio has maintained a process through which grandparents can enforce their visitation rights to their grandchildren.

If you have questions about your rights as a grandparent when it comes to visitation, contact Richard L. Morris Co., L.P.A online or give us a call at (614) 656-4252 today.

How To Obtain Visitation in Ohio

In the State of Ohio, the biological parents will always have rights to their children. Unless the parents have major issues with drug, alcohol, or a criminal history, the courts may not favor a grandparent over a parent.

According to Ohio law, court-ordered visitation can be obtained if:

• The parents of your grandchildren are divorced or going through a divorce
• The parents of your grandchildren are unmarried
• A parent of your grandchild is deceased

You will need additional proof demonstrating that visitation is in the best interests of the child. Here are a few things to consider:

• The wishes of both the biological parents and grandchildren
• The physical and mental health of the grandchildren
• The relationship between the grandparents, grandchildren, and biological parents
• The distance between both homes
• Convictions of child abuse or neglect from either side
• The schedules of the biological parents and grandchildren

It is important to remember that proving the benefits of grandparent visitation can bypass the restrictions of the biological parents. The court will have the final ruling when it comes to visitation, even though the parents have plenty of weight in their decisions.

Grandchildren & Unmarried Parents

If the mother of the grandchild is unmarried, then Ohio law allows grandparents to request visitation. This includes both sets of grandparents, from either the biological mother or father. Of course, no decision will be made by a judge until the best interests of the grandchildren are evaluated. Remember, all requests made for visitation rights must be made in the Ohio county where the grandchild resides.

Seek Help with Enforcing Grandparent Rights

Our Columbus grandparents' rights lawyer at Richard L. Morris Co., L.P.A. has a 33-year track record in Franklin County. If you're being denied access to your grandchildren, even if your own son or daughter's visitation rights have been suspended, we can help restore your relationship. Your initial case evaluation is important and we're more than happy to lay out the various options available to you. Though voluntary visits are always to be preferred, the state of Ohio recognizes the crucial role grandparents play in the lives of grandchildren.

We understand how important your grandchildren are and how important it is to keep your relationship going. No matter how complicated the case, you'll find us to be direct and to the point about your options.

To find out more about your visitation rights as a grandparent, contact us at 614-656-4252 to schedule a consultation with a Columbus grandparents rights lawyer.