The end of a marriage will affect every member of the family. Sometimes, this process can affect extended family members, possibly including the relationship a child has with his or her grandparents. It is important to provide kids with as much continuity of lifestyle as possible, and this may mean allowing him or her continued access to grandparents.
If you are a grandparent, you may have concerns about how a divorce could disrupt the relationship you have with your grandkids. This is an important relationship for the kids, and it’s beneficial to maintain this connection as much as possible. Unfortunately, you may have to fight to make this happen. You may be in a position where you need to know about grandparent visitation rights and what you can do to restore or maintain access to your grandkids.
Factors considered by the court
There are situations in which grandparents have to fight for visitation. When petitioning the court for anything related to custody and visitation, the best interests of the kids will be the priority above all else. When considering these things, a Colorado family court will look at the following factors:
- The physical and emotional needs of the child
- The state of the existing relationship between the children and adults
- The wishes of the child if he or she is able to express them
- Any evidence of substance abuse by the grandparents
- The wishes of both biological parents
- The distance between the grandparents and grandchildren
- Ability to love and care for grandkids while they are in the grandparents’ care
These are only a few things that will affect the court’s decision on this issue of grandparent visitation. If you are fighting for access to your grandchildren, it is critical to prepare a case that effectively proves the strength of this relationship and why it is in the best interests of the kids to preserve it.
Know your rights
The court will consider the interests of the kids and the preferences of the biological parents first. However, this does not mean you will not have grounds to pursue visitation with your grandkids. If you have questions regarding what rights you may have as grandparents, it may be helpful to take the time to learn about what options you may have under Colorado law.