Grandparents Have Rights in Maryland!

Grandparent rights are governed by the Maryland Statutes, specifically § 9-102 of the Family Law Article:

   An equity court may:

   (1) consider a petition for reasonable visitation of a grandchild by a grandparent; and

   (2) if the court finds it to be in the best interests of the child, grant visitation rights to the grandparent.

Maryland courts can and do order visitation to grandparents provided that the court determines that such visitation is in the best interest of the children. The court will look at various factors such as:

1. Is it in the best interest of the child?

2. What is the current and past relationship of the child with the grandparents?

3. What impact (positive or negative) will the visitation have on the child?

4. Will the visitation impact upon the educational and/or physical activities of the child?

5. To determine what is in the child’s best interest, the court will consider various factors, including the nature of the child’s relationship with the parents and grandparents, the potential benefits and detriments to granting visitation, the effect grandparent visitation would have on the child’s attachment to the family, the physical and emotional health of the parties, and the stability of the living and schooling arrangements for the child.

These are some of the factors used in determining visitation. Always check with an attorney about your specific fact situation.