Kansas City Grandparents' Rights Attorney

Divorce Lawyer in Kansas City, MO

Need an attorney for a grandparents' rights case in Kansas City? In the state of Missouri, Grandparents do have a right to request visitation time with their grandchildren in the event that the parents get divorced. However, if the parents are still legally married and they live together under one roof with the child, then grandparents will not be awarded visitation. As a grandparent, it is vital that you are aware of your rights under the law and that you understand how they relate to your case. Every family situation is different, so your legal options will vary depending on the family dynamic. No matter what, the court will ultimately rule in favor of the child's best interests. If you would like to learn more about your rights as a grandparent in the state of Missouri, then contact a Kansas City divorce attorney from our firm today.

Grandparents' Visitation Rights in Intact Families

In the last few years, grandparents have made great strides when it comes to exercising their visitation rights. In broken family situations where the parents are missing or unfit to care for the child, the unconditional love of a grandparent is seen to be the next best thing. In some states, Grandparents have been allotted visitation rights even when the parents have denied it to them. However, in the Missouri courts they favor intact families, this means that the children are under the care of their natural parents. When the parents remain married and live together with the child, then that the court deems that situation to be in the child's best interests. Grandparents who are denied visitation do have the right to a rebuttable presumption. This means you can contest it, but you hold the burden of proof to show the court that it is not in the child's best interests to be kept apart from their grandparents. Since it is the duty of the court to consider the child's best interests, they must investigate by conducting a home study or consulting with the child in order to determine the best possible option for the child.

The Missouri family court can only grant grandparent visitation rights under the following circumstances:

• The parents have filed for divorce
• One parent is deceased and the remaining parent is denying you visitation
• The child has lived with you for at least 6 months in the last two years
• You have been unreasonably denied visitation for more than 90 days
• The child is adopted by a blood relative, stepparent or other grandparent

Divorce Attorney Standing Up for Grandparent Rights in Kansas City

If you are a grandparent who has been denied access to your grandchildren, then you should speak with a lawyer about your rights to grandparent visitation. There is a conditional balance under the law so that the court does not infringe upon parental rights, but that does not mean that children should be kept away from their grandparents in the event of a divorce. So even though parents have constitutional rights to make decisions for their child, grandparent visitation rights do not fully invade those rights because in some cases it is in the best interests of the child. If you would like to avoid court involvement in the matter, our firm can assist you in mediation regarding the visitation issue. With mediation a neutral third party can help facilitate the conversation and help you come to a mutual agreement with the other party.

Looking for a lawyer for grandparents' rights in Kansas City? Here at The Reynolds Law Firm, LLC we know that grandparents can be a valuable part of a child's life and that relationship should be preserved. If you would like to fight for visitation rights with your grandchildren, contact a Kansas City grandparents' rights lawyer from our firm today. We offer private consultations so call us now at (816) 875-0557.