Custody

If you are the child’s grandparent or step-parent, you may be given visitation rights.¹ The law does not elaborate on what factors will be considered when deciding whether to grant a step-parent visitation. The law does explain, however, that grandparents may get reasonable visitation if the judge believes that a substantial relationship between the child and the grandparent has been established and the visitation rights would be in the child’s best interests.² If the grandparent’s child dies, that doesn’t affect the grandparent’s right to seek visitation. The grandparent can get visitation even if the surviving parent remarries and his/her new spouse adopts the child.³

¹ Kan. Stat. § 23-3301(a)
² Kan. Stat. § 23-3301(b)
³ Kan. Stat. § 23-3301(c)