You Can Fight for the Right
to Visit Your Grandchildren!

Yes. California law allows grandparents to petition for court-ordered visitation rights under specific circumstances. If the parents are divorced, legally separated, or one parent is deceased or missing, a grandparent can ask San Bernardino Superior Court for visitation. The court requires proof of a pre-existing relationship between the grandparent and grandchild, and that visitation would serve the child’s best interests. At Haslam Perri Law Firm, our attorneys know exactly what evidence judges require in these cases.

A pre-existing relationship means a bond between grandparent and grandchild that has already formed and that the courts would recognize as meaningful to the child’s wellbeing. Courts look at the history and nature of the relationship — how often the grandparent has been involved in the child’s life, activities shared, the emotional bond that exists, and what role the grandparent has played in the child’s development. Our attorneys know how to document and present this relationship compellingly in court.

When both parents are married and living together, California law generally presumes they are acting in the child’s best interests and may limit grandparent visitation petitions. However, exceptions exist — such as when a parent is incarcerated, a child is not living with either parent, one parent has joined the other’s petition, or one parent does not object to grandparent visitation. Our attorneys assess your specific circumstances and identify the strongest legal pathway available.

Yes. If one or both parents are physically or emotionally incapacitated, deceased, incarcerated, or otherwise unable to care for the child, grandparents can petition for legal guardianship or even full custody. California courts will grant custody to grandparents when it is clearly in the child’s best interests and the parents are unable to provide a safe, stable home. Our attorneys represent grandparents in both visitation and custody proceedings throughout San Bernardino County.

Your attorney must present evidence that denial of visitation would irreparably harm the child — not just inconvenience the grandparent. Evidence typically includes the history of the grandparent-grandchild relationship, testimony from the child (for older children), statements from teachers, counselors, or other adults who have observed the relationship, and expert testimony from child welfare specialists. At Haslam Perri Law Firm, we know what San Bernardino County judges expect to see and how to build a compelling case.

This is unfortunately common. When a parent actively prevents a grandparent from maintaining contact with a grandchild following a divorce or remarriage, legal action may be necessary. Our attorneys file petitions for grandparent visitation in San Bernardino Superior Court and present the evidence needed to overcome parental objections. We have helped many grandparents secure agreements to retain the right to maintain contact with their grandchildren — and we are ready to help you.