Under Oregon law, grandparents do not automatically have a right to see their grandchildren.
The court rules in what it believes is the child's best interest. Grandparents rights to visitation may be granted if the court believes:
- The grandparent is being prevented from contact with the child;
- The grandparent has a proven strong bond to the child, or has been the primary caregiver;
- Not having contact with the grandparent is harmful to the child;
- Having contact with the grandparent is in the child's best interest.
Grandparents and Child Custody
Under Oregon law, a grandparent must have an established child-parent relationship to get child custody.
The same applies to any extended relative, or other caregiver, who has an established child-parent relationship can potentially get custody.
If a grandparent has been the child's primary guardian and caregiver, and the grandparent can show the parent does not act in the child's best interest, then the court may award custody to the grandparent. However, in most situations, the court is not likely to grant custody of a child to a grandparent or third party over a parent's objection.
If a grandparent is awarded custody of a child, then they may able to get child support from the parent.
Oregon family lawyers for grandparents rights
At Tullos Beckett LLC, we believe that top quality legal services should be available to everyone. A consultation with one of our experienced attorneys costs $200 for domestic relations matters.
Contact us today to set up your consultation with our divorce attorneys in Eugene, Oregon.