Grandparent rights?

I'm a single mom and by that I mean the father is not in the picture at all and never has been since I got pregnant. His name is not on my son's birth certificate and there is no record that he's the father. No one in his family even knows our son was born. After he left me, I washed my hands of him and his family. I said it was up to him whether he would tell his family which he obviously never did. I don't mind that at all because in all honesty, I'm not too crazy about them anyways. I was talking with my mother today and we were discussing whether his parents have any "rights" as my son's grandparents. By that I mean could they file for visitation even though his father wants nothing to do with him? I live in Ohio, my ex lives in new York with his father and his mother lives in Florida if that means anything. I don't really plan on them finding out him ever if I'm being realistic but if they ever did, I was just curious as to what could possibly happen.

Sure they can try but they won't get any. Those laws were mostly created for Grandparents who had a huge role in their grandkid's lives and the courts decide that it harms the child not to see them. So I doubt any court would say that you weren't capable of deciding who can and can't be in your LO's life.

They can try to but grandparents really have no rights to the child.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Circle K:</b>" They can try to but grandparents really have no rights to the child."</blockquote>


That's what I was telling my mom. She kept comparing to if she wanted rights to him as my mother. I live under her roof and she helps me financially so she could take me to court and get custody of him if I was being irresponsible. I was like "mom, that's completely different!" She wasn't getting it, haha. That puts my mind at ease though. I hate those damn people.

In this situation, I don't think they'd get anything in court. It'd be like Jeffrey's family trying to get visitation.  

Your family (if you decided to take him away from them for some reason) or in my sitatuaion, my family, could probably get visitation rights... but that's because they're big parts of the kiddos lives.

I don't think you have anything to worry about!

Actually, they do have rights, and can get visitation. Just cause the father wants nothing to do with the baby doesn't mean they don't. Also they could easily say they never knew about the baby till now, which isn't a lie. The courts would look at it as extending the child's family. The only way they couldn't get rights is if they were proven to be unfit or if both parents were together and made the decision together. So yes it is very possible to get rights of the child.


P.s. I just went through this with my step daughter with my soon to be mother in law.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Brittany Abbott:</b>" Actually, they do have rights, and can get visitation. Just cause the father wants nothing to do with ... [snip!] ... possible to get rights of the child. P.s. I just went through this with my step daughter with my soon to be mother in law. "</blockquote>


But since they live out of state, I don't think they'd be able to take him away to Florida for visitation, right? Would they have to come to me? Honestly, I'm not opposed to them visiting every once and awhile as long as I don't have to see their dumbass son. If they want to meet my son and love him, great.

Quoting ♥ cal's mama:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Brittany Abbott:</b>" Actually, they do have rights, and can ... [snip!] ... every once and awhile as long as I don't have to see their dumbass son. If they want to meet my son and love him, great."

no, they wouldn't be able to take him. At least not at first. They don't know him, he doesn't know them, he'd have to get to know them before that ever happened (even in a courts eyes)... they're not gonna just let them take him off to another state.

Quoting ♥ cal's mama:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Brittany Abbott:</b>" Actually, they do have rights, and can ... [snip!] ... every once and awhile as long as I don't have to see their dumbass son. If they want to meet my son and love him, great."

I'm in the same boat as you, and have the same concerns. No they could not take him to another state, too many children go missing that way. They may ask for the grandparents to go visit you or pay for your flight and hotel to go visit them, until the child got older.

Laws are different from state to state regarding rights. Grandparents Rights are strenghthing everywhere and even if the inlaws don't have rights this month or this year doesn't mean that the law won't change in the near future in their favor. Laws are changing to favor the child'd needs and to protect the child from having his identity stripped. Extended family is good for a child. It's their inheirant support system and a system they can rely on if its needed in their future. Society as a whole doesn't need more children in foster homes if something unforseen happens to you and your mother. I'm in favor of children's rights.
www.kidsrights.ca

<blockquote><b>Quoting lady12:</b>" Laws are different from state to state regarding rights. Grandparents Rights are strenghthing everywhere ... [snip!] ... in foster homes if something unforseen happens to you and your mother. I'm in favor of children's rights. www.kidsrights.ca"</blockquote>



I'm writing my will once I turn eighteen in a week and if something were to happen to me and my mother then my son would go to other extended family on my side. He doesn't need that negative influence around him that is his fathers family. Like I said, I would not mind if his mother was to ever find out about my son and wanted to visit him but the day she sees him without me is over my dead body.