Understanding Grandparent Rights

Hi, I’m Tulsa family attorney Clint Hastings, and I focus on fathers’ rights. I get a lot of questions about grandparents’ rights. Specifically, I’m talking about when they say the word rights as opposed to visitation.

Well, when you hear grandparents’ rights, most of the time they’re talking about grandparent visitation. There are actions grandparents can file, and in certain circumstances, can get visitation time ordered by the court. However, as I said, it’s specific circumstances, so I can’t tell you generally when they’re going to get them.

Grandparent Visitation vs. Guardianship

There’s a statute, and you just have to go through the statutory provisions. However, another time it gets talked about a lot is when grandparents go for guardianship. That is a different type of action. That is where a parent or both parents are unfit, and the grandparents are coming in to take over legal custody, at least temporarily, while the parents are unfit.

But most of the time, you hear grandparents’ rights, that’s about grandparent visitation. So, in other words, both parents or one parent may have custody of the child, and a grandparent has a right to have visitation with the child, but they are not going to get granted rights to do parental decision-making and roles over the child when there is a parent.

Consult with an Experienced Attorney

If you have questions about grandparents’ rights or any related legal matters, don’t hesitate to reach out. Contact Dads.Law attorney Clint Hastings for a low-cost consultation at 918-962-0900. I’m here to help you navigate the complexities of family law and ensure your rights are protected.