Question:
We are grandparents who helped raise our granddaughter for many years before it was revealed that our son was not her biological father.
We have now been shut out of our granddaughter’s life because her family says since we are not the biological grandparents we can no longer see her.
Is there any legal recourse we have to see our granddaughter who we helped raise?
Answer:
There are different legal methods for grandparents to use to gain visitation rights with their grandchildren. The best method to choose depends on the specific facts of your case.
Based upon the brief facts you described, I can assume that your son was not married to your granddaughter’s mother. If the parents of a child are not married, typically a paternity test will be done to establish whether the alleged father should pay for support.
Unfortunately, if your son was not the biological father of the child, then you are also not the biological grandparents.
Generally people who are not biological grandparents will have extreme difficulty obtaining court-ordered visitation.
Please understand that my opinions are based upon the limited facts that you provided to me. For a more in depth discussion of your legal rights, I urge you to contact an Attorney immediately.
Cordell & Cordell has well qualified and experienced men’s divorce lawyers located nationwide, including many in Missouri, if you require additional legal assistance.
Michelle Hughes is an Associate Attorney in the Jefferson County, Missouri office of Cordell & Cordell where she practices domestic relations exclusively. Ms. Hughes is licensed in the states of Missouri and Illinois, and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. A native to metro St. Louis, Ms. Hughes received her BBA in Economics and Finances from McKendree College. She later received her Juris Doctor from Thomas Cooley Law School where she graduated cum laude.
