If you are a grandparent who is being denied access to your grandchild(ren) by their parent(s), you need to consult with an attorney to determine if you have legal recourse. In Michigan, it is especially tricky for grandparents to obtain court-ordered visitation with their grandchild(ren). Michigan law gives a great deal of deference to a fit parents who do not allow child visitation to grandparents.
To get court-ordered visitation, you must show (prove) that your grandkids would suffer mental, physiological, or emotional harm if they don’t spend time with you. Then, you must also show that spending time with you is in your grandchild’s best interests. Ten statutory “best interest” elements must be considered by the court to determine if visitation is in the grandchild’s best interest.
Because the Grandparent’s burden in court is intentionally hard to meet, you should consider consulting with an attorney prior to taking any legal action to determine the likelihood of success in Court and availability of alternative solutions.
