Only parents may have a right to custody, but visitation may be asked for my other family members. Grandparents, step-parents and siblings all may all have developed an important relationship with a child that should be protected. When asking the court for visitations rights these family members must be able to prove maintaining the relationship is the best interest of the child.
Unfortunately this is generally only an issue when one parent’s custody rights have been terminated. In addition to having their relationship with a parent cut off, the child will find additional relationships cut off. Seeking visitation rights may be the only way to protect these relationships.
Visitation is the legal remedy to preserving these important relationships. There are numerous statutes to help ensure visitation rights are given if they are in the best interest of the child. The law is much more receptive to giving visitation rights to grandparents and siblings, but it is possible to get visitation for step-parents in some cases.
If you are interested in pursuing visitation with a child under these circumstances it is important to consult an attorney who can help you create your case. It can be challenging to prove what is in a child’s best interest, but an attorney can help you make a case. Anything from photos showing the importance of your relationship to details of your relationship such as weekly visits all help to prove the value you have to the child’s life.
These may not be the easiest cases to prevail, but protecting our relationships with our loved ones is worth the effort.
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