A divorce, death, or separation can be hard on a child—and on everyone involved. In Wisconsin, parents have primary rights when it comes to custody, allowing them to raise the child as they see fit and determine who they allow to see the child (or children).
For other parties, such as grandparents, stepparents, or anyone else who has been closely involved with a child or children, the right to visitation is not an absolute; that doesn’t mean that non-parents can’t be granted access to the children. There are certain cases where third-party visitation can be granted by the court, such as paternal grandparent, stepparent, or another person who has had and has continued to try to maintain a close relationship with the child. Most importantly, the courts must determine that visitation is best for the child.
If you would like to find out if you might be granted third-party visitation, contact a local family lawyer to find out if your situation is in line with previous Wisconsin cases. An experienced family lawyer can give you the information you need to find out if your case is viable, and what you need to do to go forward with your third-party visitation case.