Grandparent Visitation Rights in NY

Dutchess County Grandparent Visitation Attorneys

When a couple goes through a divorce, the repercussions do not begin and end with just their own lives. Their children and their parents will all be affected in one way or another. If you are a grandparent of a grandchild whose parents have divorced, you may need to fight for your rights to visit your grandchildren.

Allow the Law Office of Dennis R. Vetrano, Jr., LLC to help you with this task. Our lawyers are renowned all throughout New York for providing caring customer service and tenacious legal representation for when matters escalate to the courtroom.

Come see why we were given the 2015 Avvo Clients’ Choice Award for Family Law – just contact us today to begin.

A Grandparent’s Legal Standing to Visit

The state uses a case-by-case procedure when deciding whether or not to let a grandparent visit their grandchildren. As with a divorce, your visitation must be in the child’s best interests, not just your own. If either parent has attempted to keep you away from their child, you will need to show that your presence will be beneficial to your grandchild.

If one or both parents of your grandchild have passed away, you may be granted automatic rights to visit them. You may even request the right to become their legal guardian if visitation is not enough. Still, even in such unique and unfortunate circumstances, you are not given grandparent visitation rights automatically and you will need to present your case to the court.

You may want to show the court that you:

• Provide your grandchild companionship
• Help pay for your grandchild’s necessities
• Assist your own children in raising their children
• Can give your grandchildren shelter away from domestic abuse

It should also be noted that great grandparents and step-grandparents do not automatically inherit any visitation rights in New York State, not even in situations where there are no surviving parents.

Can a Parent Deny a Grandparent Visitation in NY?

There must be enough evidence to deny a grandparent visitation in NY. The judge considers the parent's objections, family structure, and any friction between grandparents and parents. However, animosity is not substantial evidence.

A Consultation Should Be Your Starting Point

Family law disputes are complicated to settle between immediate family members, such as two spouses, but the matters can become even more complex if you are more distant from the source of contention, such as if you are a grandparent wanting to visit a grandchild. Get to the center of your case and start standing up for your grandparental rights without getting bogged down by legal definitions and paperwork by recruiting our team today. You will readily find that our attorneys are genuinely invested in the well-being of our clients and that all we want is to see you and your family happy.