Grandparent Rights in Missouri
Under Missouri law, a grandparent may seek visitation rights with a grandchild in a variety of circumstances, including:
- When the child in question has lived with his or her grandparent for at least six months within the 24 months before the grandparent files a petition seeking visitation
- When a grandparent has been “unreasonably denied” visitation with the child for more than 90 days – unless the parents of the child are still married and living with the child, in which case the grandparent cannot file a petition for visitation
- When the parents of the child file for divorce, a grandparent can intervene for the sole purpose of seeking visitation rights
- When one parent of the child dies, and the other parent denies the grandparent “reasonable visitation,” a grandparent can seek visitation rights from the court
Consequently, if you are a grandparent and are currently seeking to establish visitation rights with your grandchild, it is often advisable to speak with an experienced grandparent rights attorney to learn what your rights and options may be given your circumstances.