Can grandparents be granted visitation rights?
The modern trend has been the enactment of statutes giving grandparents standing to petition for child visitation over the objection of the custodial parents. Traditionally, common law gave grandparents no legal right to continue their relationship with grandchildren when their own child died, divorced, or had parental rights terminated. According to Richard A. Leiter, National Survey of State Laws (New York: Gale Group, 2003): 391-93, only the District of Columbia does not allow grandparent visitation. Every other state, however, allows it in some circumstances. Circumstances in which grandparents may petition for visitation include when parents are divorced or becoming divorced (Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska); when either or both parents have died (Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas); when either or both parents’ rights have been terminated (Georgia, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas); when visitation has be
