Grandparent Rights in Texas: How to Establish and Maintain Relationships With Your Grandchildren

26 Apr Grandparent Rights in Texas: How to Establish and Maintain Relationships With Your Grandchildren

As grandparents, you love your grandchildren and want to maintain a strong relationship with them. However, sometimes family circumstances can prevent you from seeing your grandchildren as often as you’d like. In Texas, grandparents have legal rights to visitation and even custody under certain circumstances. Here’s what you need to know about grandparent rights in Texas.

Visitation Rights

Under Texas law, grandparents have the right to request visitation with their grandchildren if the grandchild’s parents are divorced, have been declared incompetent, or have passed away. Additionally, if the child has lived with the grandparent for at least six months, the grandparent may also be eligible for visitation rights. To obtain visitation rights, the grandparent must file a petition with the court and demonstrate that visitation is in the best interest of the child.

Custody Rights

In some cases, grandparents may even be eligible for custody of their grandchildren. This can occur if the grandchild’s parents are unfit to care for the child due to drug or alcohol abuse, neglect, or other issues that put the child’s well-being at risk. Grandparents may also seek custody if they have been the primary caregiver for the child for a significant period of time.

To obtain custody of their grandchildren, grandparents must file a petition with the court and demonstrate that they are fit to care for the child and that custody with the grandparents is in the best interest of the child.

Maintaining Relationships

In addition to legal avenues for visitation and custody, there are also steps grandparents can take to maintain strong relationships with their grandchildren. This can include regular communication through phone calls, video chats, and letters, as well as planning special activities or outings together. It’s important for grandparents to be involved in their grandchildren’s lives in a meaningful way, even if physical distance or family circumstances make it challenging.

At NB Law, we understand the importance of grandparent-grandchild relationships and are committed to helping grandparents establish and maintain these relationships. If you have questions about grandparent rights in Texas or need assistance pursuing visitation or custody, our experienced family law attorneys are here to help.