[Mr. K]

The parents can keep them away, but the deeper question is why?

[RebelTXRose]

It is sad, but, yes, grandparents can be kept from their grandchildren. SOME states (Texas is NOT one of them) allow grandparents visitation rights. Family IS important!

[Casie]

Nah. You are the legal guardians of a minor. You are free to limit extended family's access to your kids.

[Dan(9698)]

If your family is so dysfunctional that your kids don't want you to visit your grand kids, there are more problems than can be addressed on freerepublic.

[Behind the Blue Wall]

I’m fairly certain that whatever rights the grandparents might have are trumped by the parents’ rights.

[cuban leaf]

Ask it in a different way and the answer is obvious: Do parents have the God given right to choose who their minor children come into contact with?

[Pollster1]

I vaguely recall a legal case in which grandparents sued for the right to see their grandchildren, in an intact marriage, and won. I know that, as a parent, I would take extreme offense at any such demand and would work to circumvent or subvert any such court order. Additional information.

[mnehring]

Straight from the source.
https://www.oag.state.tx.us/elder/grandparents.shtml

[afraidfortherepublic]

I think the answer differs from state to state. I know of many court cases that have been fought about this.

[Scoutmaster]

It differs by state. I dont see Texas on the list of states giving some form of visitation rights. Did you ever serve as de facto parents, with the children living alone with you?

[svcw]

There may be some states which allow grandparents rights, I know of none.
A friend of mine sued in California to see her grandchildren, and the court said no.

[Venturer]

Grandparents have no rights at all.

I tried to get heard at the custody hearing of my Grand daughter and the Judge acted like I wasn’t alive.

[KosmicKitty]

I believe it depends on the state

In Connecticut, grandparents have legal rights for visitation

In New York, they do not.

(Personal experience, not a lawyer)

[mn-bush-man]

I practice in Minnesota. There are no grandparent rights unless:

1. A parent is deceased and visitation granted to the deceased parent's parents would be in the best interests of the child as determined by the court; or

2. The granchild has resided with the grandparent(s) for at least a 12 month period.

These are some of the saddest cases. 99% of the time, the kid loses no matter what.

[thackney]

Unfortunately, I have some experience in this area.

In Texas, grandparents have no inherent legal right to see the grandkids.

Freepmail me if you want more info.

[kabumpo]

Answer: yes, parents of sound mind get to decide 100% who gets to see their children. Which is as it should be. Sorry if it doesn’t work for you.

[Roses0508]

Depends. On the state. For instance grandparents have visitation rights in NC. I work very hard to maintain a good relationship with my son’s x-wife so I have full access to my grandaughter. It does not hurt that the x-wife fully understands that I have legal rights.

[Vendome]

Nope. You have absolute power of your children and assume all responsibility for their actions as well.

The grandparents do not have any privileges, nor does anyone else, cept those you grant.

No one has the authority to undermine how you raise your children.

[Prospero]

The precedent is pretty well set, and the issue appears to surface on the state level every few years when grandparents manage to inspire a legislator to file a bill on their behalf, that parental rights trump those of grandparents.

These initiatives may or may not get a hearing, but action is rarely taken and the bills ultimately pass away.

I present this without comment as to the emotional "right" or "wrong" of what ought to be. Grandparents do not have any rights "we are bound to respect."

And I'm a grandparent, too, by the way.

[Mercat]

This is a state by state issue although there is a case, Troxel, which was heard by the Supremes. The statute (I think it was Washington state) was held by the court to be overbroad so that basically anyone, in this case the day care provider, could over ride the parents’ decision to withhold the child. The dissenting (or maybe concurring) opinion by Kennedy laid out how to get a state statute to comply with the constitution and allow grandparents, stepparents and even same sex partners to have continued access to children.

I practice family law in Kansas and have for over 30 years. Here there is a specific statute which has been tested and has held. I allows even the grandparents to have access under certain circumstances even where the parents have not divorced. If, however, the grandparents lose, they have to pay all the fees of the parents so it is not used lightly. It generally turns on whether there are significant contacts between the child and the grandparent or step parent. (no case law here on same sex “parents” and the statute is silent - see my posts however on the Lesbian couple in Topeka and the sperm donor child support issue)

So any grandparent who wants access to his, her grandchild should contact an experienced family law attorney in the court where the child lives. Good luck.