Grandparents’ Rights Attorneys Mentor OH
A Compassionate Family Attorney Who Understands Ohio Law
The bonds between a grandparent and a grandchild are uniquely special. As a result, it can be distressing to navigate circumstances under which a grandparent may be kept from their beloved grandchild(ren).
If you are struggling with a situation wherein you want to see your grandchildren but you are either being kept from them or you fear that you could be, it is a good idea to learn more about your rights under Ohio law. Every family law case is different, so it is important to avoid making assumptions about your circumstances until you have discussed them with one of our knowledgeable and trusted attorneys Jon Axelrod or Rochelle Hellier.
You can schedule a free case evaluation at any time to begin the process of exploring your options. As you prepare for your no-cost consultation, consider the following basic information about Ohio law. Don’t hesitate to write down any questions or concerns that these details may inspire, so that our legal team can be sure to address each of them in turn.
Mutual Agreements
It is worth noting that parents or guardians can voluntarily agree to formalize a grandparent’s right to visitation with the court. Although this approach is rare, if a child’s parents – or single parent if no other adult has parental rights with regard to their well-being – want to make a grandparent’s rights to visitation legally enforceable, they can work with one of our attorneys to achieve this goal.
Contentious Situations
Most of the time, however, the issue of grandparents’ rights only arises when circumstances threaten a grandparent’s ability to start or maintain a relationship with a grandchild. In these situations, Ohio law has codified a grandparent’s rights to seek visitation if one or more of the three following criteria apply:
- A child’s married parents separate or terminate their union
- A parent of a child passes away
- A child is born to parents who are unmarried to each other
Note that the right to seek visitation is not a guarantee that visitation rights will be granted by the court. Ohio family courts are bound to decide custody and visitation cases per the “best interests of the child” standard. As a result, visitation will only be granted if doing so will honor a child’s best interests and will not result in undue interference with a parent’s relationship with their child. Similarly, if a grandparent is seeking custody of a child whose parents are no longer able to care for them properly, this request will only be granted if it is in the affected child’s best interests.
A grandparent’s rights to seek visitation may be altered in the event that a child is adopted.
Connect with one of our Creative Lake County, Ohio Family Law Attorneys at No Cost to Better Understand Your Options
Our firm prides itself on helping loving Ohioans navigate challenging family law situations. Although your personal circumstances may have left you feeling hopeless, it is important to fully explore your legal options before processing your family’s challenges one way or the other. If you don’t take this step forward, you may always wonder what would have happened if you had spoken with an attorney and the last thing you deserve is to live with the burden of regret on your heart.
To learn more about your rights as a grandparent under Ohio law, schedule a free legal consultation with one of our dedicated Mentor, OH family law lawyers at Axelrod Law Office today. You can call the firm at (440) 944-7300 or you can submit a contact form on our firm’s website to get started. You are dealing with tough challenges but you don’t have to do so alone. We look forward to hearing from you.