Grandparents play a pivotal role in many a child’s upbringing and are often relied upon by parents for the help they may be able to give.  But do Grandparents have actual rights to visit with their grandchildren in Tennessee?   

Here’s some of what you need to know:

1.   In Tennessee, a grandparent can be granted visitation rights to a grandchild if the child get removed from the custody of the parents and placed in a licensed foster home or facility, but only upon a finding that Grandparent visitation rights would be in the best interest of the minor child, that the grandparent would adequately protect the child from further abuse, and that the grandparent has not been convicted of one of several crimes of a sexual nature.  This law does not apply when the children have been removed from the custody of the parents and adopted by someone other than a stepparent or other relative of the child.

2. Tennessee Grandparents can also be legally awarded visitation with grandchildren when any of the following circumstances are present IF the parent opposes or has severely reduced the visitation the grandparent had been getting.  

   (a)  The father or mother of an unmarried minor child is deceased; (b)  The child's father or mother are divorced, legally separated, or were never married to each other; (c) The child's father or mother has been missing for six (6) months; (d) The court of another state has ordered grandparent visitation; (e)  The child resided in the home of the grandparent for a period of twelve (12) months or more and was subsequently removed from the home by the parent; or (f) The child and the grandparent maintained a significant existing relationship for a period of twelve (12) months or more immediately preceding severance or severe reduction of the relationship.

3. Also, while parental rights (the right to actually parent a child) are very strong in Tennessee, Grandparents CAN get custody of their grandchildren when they can prove by clear and convincing evidence that a grandchild is in danger. 

 If you need help enforcing your rights as a grandparent, the attorneys at Patton & Hyder can expertly guide you in the right direction.  Give them a call at (931) 787-1333