Minnesota Grandparents' Rights Lawyer

Grandparent Visitation and Custody Rights under Minnesota Law

In the state of Minnesota, grandparents are given some legal right to visitation through the statutes. If your child is deceased and you are being denied access to your grandchildren, you may go to court and request a set parenting time schedule, as if you were the parent of the children. Otherwise, the court allows grandparents to seek visitation rights as an interested third party or d e facto custodian. Contact a Minnesota divorce lawyer at Heimerl & Lammers to discuss your situation.

De Facto Custodian

If your grandchild has resided in your home and you have acted as a primary caretaker for them, then you may be able to get custody of your grandchild in court . The child must live with you for an extended period of time, and the child's parent(s) must be failing in some way to provide for the child's needs. If you believe that you qualify and you have served as the de facto custodian for your grandchild, we can help.

Third Party Custody Rights and Grandparents

If you do not qualify under the more specific requirements of a de facto custodian, but you believe it is in the best interest of your grandchild to be in your care and custody or even to have set visitation time with you, then you may be able to file a petition to the court as an interested third party. This is not limited only to grandparents and allows for a child to be removed from a situation that may not be the best for them.

If you have been raising your grandchildren on your own, you should have a Custody Consent Decree, signed by the parent, giving you legal rights to enroll the children in school, take them to the doctor, and make day-to-day decisions for them. The grandparents' rights attorney from Heimerl & Lammers can assist you with the legal action needed to address the matter in court. We can help you draft an agreement that fits your needs and walk you through the court process to get custodial or visitation rights to your grandchildren. The attorneys at the firm are very experienced in the area of grandparent s' rights and can help you evaluate your personal situation to find the best route to getting access to your grandchildren.

Contact a Minnesota divorce attorney from our firm at once if you need legal help with your rights as a grandparent.