Do Grandparents Have Custody or Visitation Rights in Washington?

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2 responses to “Do Grandparents Have Custody or Visitation Rights in Washington?”

1. 

   October 12, 2017

   Rietta Williams

   Thank you for this opportunity, and although you may not be able to help me directly, I would greatly appreciate any advice or referrals. I have read the information on your website, that was included in search results for topic “grandparent’s right in WA State” and I understand that there are no “family” rights of visitation or rights to normal family interaction, no “grandparents rights” to see one’s grandchild, but I have a couple of questions, and I’ll try to be as succinct as I can.
   1. Would it matter the reason the child is being denied the opportunity to interact with grandparent/family?
   • I’m a paternal great grandmother but this applies my daughter, granddaughter and sometimes my grandson as well to my understanding!
   • Currently my 6 yrs. old great grandson is occasionally denied visitation with me, as well as his paternal grandmother and is denied all the time to have phone conversations with his paternal great aunt who live out of state.
   • The reason for the denials as stated by the child’s mother is after we say something
   “I don’t like” “its punishment” But the comments/statement are usually things that are relative to his well-being and or safely. One example: my daughter suggested that the mother she might want to transfer a boiling pot (a tall pasta pot) of water from the front burner to the back burner. Now this is probably safety 101, for some but it was mentioned particularly because my great grandson kept running over to the stove, where he mother was standing and my great grandson as already been burned before!
   2. If there are No “grandparents” rights to visitation, then why legally does her mother, brother and sister get to see/and interact with him?
   • She constantly makes that statement like a reminder “that we have no rights” as it relates to my daughter (paternal grandmother) and me and my granddaughter
   • It’s like she has a vendetta which is continuous and states that her mother doesn’t say
   anything about her parenting, which No One has.
   • If we call my great grandson, she won’t answer her phone, so we bought a phone for him
   and now she won’t let him/ or she won’t answer that one either.
   • The my grandson and my great grandsons mother are not married, they just spit households last August, to my knowledge do not have a parenting plan or any court ordered legal agreement so I don’t know if that makes a difference, but they co-parent, and his father is constantly talking with her about allowing the fair and healthy interaction! If and when you can speak with my great grandson on the phone it’s heart breaking to hear him say how he misses us, and at one time his mom said herself it wasn’t right to do this! is there anything that can be done my grandson? by my family? Thank You

   Reply
   1. 

      October 13, 2017

      Goldberg Jones

      Hi Rietta,

      Thanks for reaching out. That’s a complicated situation. I passed your contact information on to our managing attorney, Ken Alan. He will reach out to you with some options in your case.

      Reply