Legal Question in Family Law in California

Re: grandparent visitation rights california

Generally, as a grandparent you may petition for visitation with your grandchildren in the following situations:

1) A parent is deceased,

2) A divorce or other family law proceeding is pending in which child custody is already at issue,

3) The parents are not married to one another, including after a divorce,

4) The parents are married but are living separate and apart on a permanent or indefinite basis and meet numerous other criteria.

A court will order grandparent visitation only if it finds that there is a preexisting bond between you and your grandchild such that visitation is in the child's best interest. The court will balance the child's interest in visitation against the parents' right to exercise parental authority.

You should hire a lawyer to pursue this if any of the above applies to you.