One of the most fulfilling joys in life is seeing your children become parents. As a grandparent, you want to take advantage of every opportunity to love and spoil your grandchildren. Unfortunately, a dispute between your child and their co-parent can jeopardize the time you can spend with the kiddos.
You may face an uphill battle as a grandparent in Texas. The United States Supreme Court and the state of Texas do not automatically recognize a grandparent’s right to see their grandchildren. The law assumes that parents can make that decision based on the best interests of the child — but you still have options. If you have a good relationship with your child and the other parent, then you may need only to ask to see your grandchildren. If the parents refuse to let you see them, you may need to pursue the matter in court.
This arrangement is not always easy, but the attorneys at Sean Lynch are ready to be your advocate.
The Conditions Must Be Right
Under the following circumstances, grandparents may gain conservatorship over their grandchildren:
- If a parent is deceased
- If a parent is in jail or prison
- If a parent is not living with your grandchild at the time
- If a court rules a parent is mentally incompetent
The court may recognize that it is your grandchildren’s best interest to see you. If your case does make it to court, you will need to show that one or more of the following conditions exist:
- A parent who neglected or abused the children.
- A parent’s rights are terminated.
- A parent is divorced.
- Your grandchild has lived with you for at least six months.
Remember, proving these circumstances pertain only to visitation. If you want custody of your grandchild, we can help you address that, too.
Our Staff Can Help
If you believe that your situation may entitle you to visitation or custody of your grandchild, now is the time to get help. It is in your best interest, and perhaps in the best interests of your grandchildren, to sit down and discuss your circumstances with an attorney at Sean Lynch.
Contact us via email or at 817-668-6704 today to schedule an appointment at our Fort Worth office.