Grandparents’ Rights
Grandparents’ Rights
Just as a divorce transforms the nuclear family relationships into new arrangements, it also affects the extended families as well. Illinois has a permissive visitation statute that allows grandparents and great-grandparents the ability to file a petition for visitation rights. However, a grandparent does not automatically gain visitation rights. We work with grandparents who want a right of access to their grandchildren. We also work with parents who have good reasons for opposing form
al grandparent visitation.
Disputes over grandparent visitation can also come up when the grandchild’s parents are unmarried or when a grandparent wishes to seek custody of their grandchild. A grandparent who acts as a child’s primary caregiver might be interested in formal custody when one or both parents can’t provide a stable home environment instead of establishing a right to regular visitation over the objection of a parent. The objective is to get legal recognition of parental authority during a period when the child’s parents can’t meet the full range of their responsibilities- similar to that of a guardian.
If you’d like to discuss your situation please contact DeVriendt & Associates for a free initial consultation. We can be reached by phone at 815-723-8300