Grandparents' Rights Attorney in Denver 

Serving Jefferson County, Douglas County, Arapahoe County, and Adams County

In an ideal world, parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents would get along to ensure that children have access to loving and supportive relationships with multiple generations of family members.  In truth, families are complicated, especially when joined by marriage, and contentious relationships between generations and in-laws can lead to situations in which grandparents are denied the right to visit with grandchildren and form relationships.

As a grandparent, do you have any rights to visit your grandchildren if one or both parents deny you?  In what circumstances would you have legal recourse?  Although the rights of parents to raise their children as they see fit take precedence over any rights grandparents might have, there are instances in which you may be able to seek legal visitation.  With the help of qualified professionals from Curtis Law Firm, you can learn about your rights under the state's family laws and the circumstances in which you may seek visitation with grandchildren.

Seeking Visitation

There are only a few specific instances in which grandparents have a chance of obtaining legal visitation rights with grandchildren, according to Colorado Revised Statutes.  Grandparents may petition the court for visitation if:

There has been an allocation of parental responsibilities (APR) due to a paternity case, a dissolution of marriage, or other circumstances;

The child has been placed outside a parent’s home and the APR has been granted to a non-parent – except in cases of adoption;

The grandparents’ child (the parent of the grandchildren) has died, and the other parent is still alive

These are the only circumstances in which grandparents or great-grandparents have any legal grounds to seek court-ordered visitation of grandchildren, and even so, it can be extremely difficult to gain the approval of the court.  It may depend not only on the case, but also on the judge hearing the case.

In addition, grandparents may be asked to provide clear and convincing evidence that their absence is detrimental to the best interests of children involved, and that the parent or parents are being unreasonable in denying visitation between grandparents and children.  In short, it’s an uphill battle that may never result in visitation being granted.

Lack of a Prior Custody Case

Unfortunately, there is no legal recourse for grandparents seeking visitation if no custody has been formally assigned, as in cases where parents are still married, are living apart but have not divorced, or were never married in the first place, and have not established legal custody. As long as parents are deemed fit, their decision to deny visitation to grandparents, whatever the reason, falls within their rights to raise children as they see fit.