Should Grandparents have RIGHTS to Grandchildren?

floridapolitics.com...

Today, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 1119, known by advocates as the ‘Markel Act,’ to protect grandparents and children against alienation from each other in narrow, tragic situations. Specifically, the bill says that grandparents can petition courts for visitation with their grandchildren where the living parent was found culpable by a criminal or civil court for the other parent’s death.

Remember this isn’t asking would it be nice, this is saying do they have the RIGHT?
I also find it interesting for the 1009380937038 time conservatives say they are for less government, but this sure doesn’t feel like it.

I am also concerned about the wording in this article. So you are telling me someone could be married to a domestic abuser and they now how to allow that domestic abusers parents see the kid? A lot of times it’s been proven those things are passed down.

So I ask again, do grandparents have RIGHTS to a grandchild?


I’ll give my opinion. I believe only what the parent believes is right should stick. They are 100% responsible for their child, they are financially responsible so why shouldn’t they get to make the decisions. I feel this is a slippery slope. It appears Parental Rights are being taken away one by one.

a reply to: JAGStorm

There might be a good reason a parent doesn't want their child around their own parents. Or not. Either way that should be their call.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Two scenarios

Bill & Jen were married with two kids. Bill beat the crap out of Jen. Bill told Jen that his parents used to beat him all the time too. Bills parents never visited and never supported the grandkids in any way. Bill beat Jen one too many times and she pulled a gun on him and killed him. She was found not guilty. Now Bills parents “miss” him and want a relationship with the grandkids………


Chris and Tonja were married with one kid. Tonja was a druggie and grew up in a harsh environment of neglect. Tonja sadly passes away because Christ bought booze and she died of an OD with drugs and booze.

Chris wants to keep their daughter away from anything to do with that environment. Tonjas mom wants to have the granddaughter over, but Chris knows there are lots of unsavory characters in and out and her intentions are probably not pure.


Now in Florida these grandparents have Rights! Crazy.

a reply to: JAGStorm

I know of two times when a Court awarded visitation rights to Grandparents of the child's Father. The child was conceived by rape.

I'm curious if the Law included same sex marriages. I work with a woman who is gay. She and her partner have a little girl. The child is the partner's biologically. The partner's parents have passed away. My co-worker's parents babysit while they are both at work and are very attached to the child. If the couple were to break up, do my co-worker's parents have any rights?

This isn’t new…it has been around for well over 20 years. Grandparents rights have already been incorporated into state laws for several states (even conservative states).

The most common scenario is a parent dumping a child on the grandparents to provide “free” childcare for x number of years and then once the child is bonded to the grandparent the biological parent suddenly denies the grandparent the right to see the child. The biological parent will then withhold visitation as a form of coercing the grandparent into doing something. For example - saying you can only see the child if you do xyz for me (buy me a car, pay for my phone, etc…).

Grandparents who have never seen their grandchild and who have no relationship with the grandchild have a harder time arguing for grandparents rights…because a firmly established bond does not exist.

Here is just one example:

The Wyoming legislature codified the rights surrounding grandparent visitation in Wyoming Statute § 20-7-101. The law puts forth that a grandparent may petition the court to allow them reasonable visitation to their minor grandchildren. In Grandparents’ Visitation cases the Court must consider:

If allowing grandparent visitation in the best interests of the child, and
If allowing grandparent visitation will substantially impair the rights of the child’s parents.
In order for a grandparent to establish visitation rights with a grandchild, an action must first be filed with the District Court

If the District Court finds it’s in the child’s best interest to have visitation with grandparents, this will be an enforceable order and if it’s not followed by a parent, the Order can be enforced through the Court.

a reply to: JAGStorm

a reply to: JAGStorm

Some times the best place for children is away from their parents....and far too frequently parents aren't fit and capable enough to determine what is best for their own children.

My 11 year old Grandson lives with me and my wife.
It was simply the right thing to do and in his best interests.....he loves it.

If anybody other than DeSantis had signed this Law, would we even be having this discussion?

Seems like OP completely missed the point of the law. So much for compassionate liberals.

"where the living parent was found culpable by a criminal or civil court for the other parent’s death."

Your daughter had a child - Your grand child. The husband killed your daughter. Now how are you going to get to see the grandchild? Seems like an obvious common sense issue.

originally posted by: jjkenobi
Seems like OP completely missed the point of the law. So much for compassionate liberals.

"where the living parent was found culpable by a criminal or civil court for the other parent’s death."

Your daughter had a child - Your grand child. The husband killed your daughter. Now how are you going to get to see the grandchild? Seems like an obvious common sense issue.

#1 I’m not a liberal

#2, there are so many scenarios like the ones I gave above

#3 Just because someone got killed does not mean the grandparents are in the best interests of the child EVEN if a court says so.

Common sense is rare and what is more rare is for people to understand complex issues.

originally posted by: JIMC5499
If anybody other than DeSantis had signed this Law, would we even be having this discussion?

Probably not, but if your entire party is based on LESS government this doesn’t feel right.

This and many other things is about as MORE government as you can get.

a reply to: JAGStorm

I'll say it again. It isn't my Party. I'm registered NPA No Political Affiliation.

originally posted by: JIMC5499
a reply to: JAGStorm

I'll say it again. It isn't my Party. I'm registered NPA No Political Affiliation.

I’m talking about Desantis’s party…..

originally posted by: JAGStorm
So I ask again, do grandparents have RIGHTS to a grandchild?

That is a difficult question, but in general, I agree with you that it should be up to the parents.

That said, I'd have to read the actual text of the bill rather than someone's opinion piece about it to comment specifically on this particular legislation.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Should Grandparents have RIGHTS to Grandchildren?

I imagine it depends on the situation and the grandparents.

I've always just brought up my children the way i see fit and darn the laws to be honest or what other people think.

On the other side of the pond all the same.

a reply to: JAGStorm


Only in a case where children have lost a parent due to the other parent killing said parent.

Otherwise, NO!

a reply to: JAGStorm

It's not an automatic right, it would need to be agreed in family Court like any other visitation.

The court could say no, or require supervision.

a reply to: JAGStorm

The government should not be able to stand in the way of any of us seeing each other if we want to.

Children and grandchildren were kept from seeing dying parents and grandparents in the hospital, during covid Hysteria.

originally posted by: carewemust
a reply to: JAGStorm

The government should not be able to stand in the way of any of us seeing each other if we want to.

Children and grandchildren were kept from seeing dying parents and grandparents in the hospital, during covid Hysteria.

That’s a different issue but I agree.

What do you think if a parent does NOT want the grandparents in the picture. This is what this act is about.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Definitely YES! Russian legislation states that the first rights of custody of a child, after parents, are grandparents. Native blood!

Despite the efforts of juvenile justice on the "rights of the child", which ultimately results in the lawlessness of guardianship officials, the Russian legislation approved the rights to custody of a child, in the case when the rights of both parents are limited, for the next of kin. They have priority.

a reply to: JAGStorm

So much for parental rights.

I moved to another state to keep my parents away from my daughter.