Grandparents Rights Lawyer Services

Michigan law allows grandparents to seek court-ordered visitation or custody in limited circumstances. The Browning Law Firm provides comprehensive grandparents rights representation throughout Michigan. Grandparent visitation: grandparents can petition for visitation during or after divorce or separate maintenance actions involving the grandchild's parents, or after one parent dies. Requirements: court must find visitation is in child's best interest and won't interfere with parent-child relationship. Parental presumption: parents' decisions about grandparent contact are presumed correct. Grandparents must rebut this presumption with clear and convincing evidence. Established custodial environment with grandparents strengthens visitation cases. If grandchild lived with grandparents for extended period, courts consider this. Grandparent custody: grandparents can seek custody when parents are unfit�due to abuse, neglect, substance abuse, incarceration, or abandonment. Third-party custody actions allow grandparents to seek custody showing parents are unfit and grandparent custody is in child's best interest. De facto custodian status: grandparents who provided care for specific periods become de facto custodians with stronger custody rights. We establish de facto custodian status when applicable. Guardianship is alternative to custody allowing grandparents to care for grandchildren with legal authority. We help grandparents establish guardianship. Kinship care situations: grandparents often care for grandchildren removed from parents by DHHS. We help kinship caregivers navigate child protective proceedings and seek permanent placements. Adoption by grandparents: when parents' rights are terminated, grandparents can adopt grandchildren. We represent grandparents in relative adoptions. Interstate complications: if grandchildren live in another state, Michigan may lack jurisdiction. UCCJEA (Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act) determines which state has jurisdiction. Modification of grandparent orders: visitation or custody orders can be modified if circumstances change. We seek modifications when needed. Enforcement: when parents violate grandparent visitation orders, enforcement actions are available. We enforce court orders protecting grandparents' time. Mediation: many grandparent-parent conflicts can be resolved through mediation avoiding litigation. We represent grandparents in mediation. The Browning Law Firm helps grandparents maintain important relationships with grandchildren when parents unreasonably deny contact or when grandchildren need grandparents' care.