Grandparents Rights?

There's currently an issue here in Arizona with a Grandparent that is not allowed to see their Grandchild. This is not due to a dangerous situation but one where the parents dont want to talk to the Grandparents and are using the Grandchild as a pawn. Kind of if you don't do what I want you don't get to see your Grandchild type thing.
Well the Grandparent has gotten sick of it and is trying to file for visitation but Arizona law does not permit Grandparents to request visitation of their grandchildren unless
1.) The parents have been divorced for 3 months
2.) One parent has been dead 3 months
3.) One parent has been missing for 3 months
and of course that means no contact for that time.
Well they are trying to change that, they've sent letters to the Gov of AZ and 2 of the Congressman, what they are trying to do is show that other people from all over disagree with this type of law and have started an online petition. So if you think that Grandparents should be able to see their Grandchildren or even be able to make a reasonable request of the courts to see them please sign the petition here. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/13/gr...itation-rights

Thanks Bob

Our sigs probably won't matter if we aren't constituents.

Not gonna sign because as a Balgian, the state of Arizona is hardly likely to care about me :shrug:
Over here the grandparents have a right to see their grandchildren, but it's only a token concession if the parents don't want. If the parents fight it every step of the way and involve the courts, it can be as little as every 2-4 weeks, for n hours, under supervision of one of the parents.

Of course this type of psychological warfare completely smurfs up the kids, but who ever cared about that, right?

:OT
When my wife and I decided to have kids, we also agreed that -in the unlikely event that we would divorce- the kids would always come first and we would never try to undermine each other or play psycholocigal warfare with the kids as pawns.
Granted, it may be a bit naive to think it would be easy or feasible, but I do believe that we would always think about the kids first.

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Originally Posted by Ditch Doc

Our sigs probably won't matter if we aren't constituents.

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Since this isnt a "legal" petition she is just trying to show that the interest in fairness to Grandparents is there. She's not concerned as to where the signers are from


Bob

As a grandparent, I was more than happy to sign, thanks for the oppurtunity.

I would have to voice my opinion in opposition to this petition. The Grandparents are not the primary care-givers in a child's life, the parents are. The Grandparents should be there to support the parents in the rearing of the child. Where will such a law take us? if the Grandparents have this "visitation" right, then move to South Florida to retire, are the parents required to send the kids to Florida for two weeks out of the year? Can the Grandparents require their visitation on Christmas Eve and day? How about aunts and uncles? Should they have visitation rights too? Grandparents are extended family, just like aunts and uncles.

If the child is not in danger, then the grandparents need to back off and let the parents be parents, instead of injecting their will/desires into another family.

Matt

Why should grandparents have any rights? Whats next uncle & aunt visitation right? No, this just seems stupid.

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Originally Posted by Bruno

When my wife and I decided to have kids, we also agreed that -in the unlikely event that we would divorce- the kids would always come first

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Bruno, I hope with all sincerity that you and your wife will agree to stay married with the same conviction that you've mutually agreed to share in regard to your children's welfare.:tu Happy marriage to you both!

Chris L

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Originally Posted by mhailey

I would have to voice my opinion in opposition to this petition. The Grandparents are not the primary care-givers in a child's life, the parents are. The Grandparents should be there to support the parents in the rearing of the child. Where will such a law take us? if the Grandparents have this "visitation" right, then move to South Florida to retire, are the parents required to send the kids to Florida for two weeks out of the year? Can the Grandparents require their visitation on Christmas Eve and day? How about aunts and uncles? Should they have visitation rights too? Grandparents are extended family, just like aunts and uncles.

If the child is not in danger, then the grandparents need to back off and let the parents be parents, instead of injecting their will/desires into another family.

Matt

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I have not read the petition, but over here it is a visitation right. I.e. The grandparents can visit. They don't have a right to have the kids come over. They also can't pick their own preferred schedule. If worst comes to worst, the judge decides but the preference is for the parents / grandparents to work it out themselves.

It also only applies to biological bloodline, so only to grandparents. Aunts and uncles don't count since they are not part of the bloodline.

The reason this law was created was to prevent one parent from locking out the other grandparents after a divorce or death. I don't know if it even applies to 'whole' families.
As you see, there is a lot of nuance in the law to prevent the situations you describe.

I wouldn't sign either. Exposing my son to his paternal Grandmother would put him and me in close proximity with some rather dubious characters and I'm just not willing to take that chance. If my Ma is real good for a long time something might be arranged, but it will be on my terms and agreed on by my wife. We get the say in who has contact with our boy and that's that.

Now I understand that there are grandparents out there who are not dangerous and whose children are just being stupid about the situation and that's lamentable, but if the parents want to abuse members of their family using others as bait or bargaining positions then that's a crappy situation for the grandparents and the grandchildren, but it is not a matter for the courts as I see it. I hope all families can heal old wounds themselves and do what's best for the wee ones.

X