If you’re a grandparent who doesn’t get to see their grandchild in California, then you likely already know how frustrating this situation can be. The good news is that grandparents do have rights. Unfortunately, asserting those rights can be challenging – unless you have a qualified family law attorney on your side. Read on to learn how you can ask for visitation in court and then call Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell at 909-482-1422 to make an appointment.
There are nine steps involved in requesting grandparent’s visitation
This list of steps may seem daunting but remember that you’ll have Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell on your side. We know these laws inside and out and can assure that we’re moving through the process as quickly as possible. These are the nine steps that are typically involved. Remember that every case can vary.
- Find out if there’s a family court case open. If a case is open that involves the grandchildren and their parents, then you can simply file another petition under that case. If there isn’t, then you’ll need to file a petition yourself.
- Fill out the required forms. There will be a number of forms you need to fill out to start the process. Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell can provide these forms and explain them to you.
- Have the forms reviewed. The facilitator of the case will need to review the paperwork to ensure it’s filled out properly and all forms are there.
- Make three copies of the forms. We will handle the copying and ensure that there are three copies total – one for us, and one for each of the parents of your grandchildren. The original forms will be given to the court in the next step.
- File the forms. Next, we’ll file the forms with the court clerk. We’ll get a copy back with a “Filed” stamp. At this point, you’ll also be responsible for a filing fee.
- Get a court date. When the forms are filed, the clerk will likely give us a court date right then or there. Depending on your case, you may have to work with a mediator before that date. We will go over the specifics with you.
- Papers will need to be served on the parents. Of course, the parents of your grandchild must be notified. We’ll do this through service of process, which means that someone who’s of legal age will give them a copy of the papers as well as a blank response form. Note that you cannot serve papers to them.
- Proof of service must be filed. Next, we’ll get proof from the person who served the parents and file that proof.
- The court hearing / mediation happens. When the date of the court hearing or mediation comes, we will be there from start to finish.
You love your grandchildren and you want what’s best for them. at Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, we want to help you achieve this goal. Contact us at 909-482-1422 to make an appointment.
