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S.B. 87

             1     

VISITATION RIGHTS OF GRANDPARENTS

             2     
2002 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Sponsor: Terry R. Spencer

             5      This act amends the grandparents visitation rights statute. The act clarifies that
             6      grandparents may intervene in pending proceedings involving custody and visitation issues.
             7      The act applies to all grandparent visitation actions a presumption in favor of the parent's
             8      decision and describes how that presumption can be overcome. The act permits courts to
             9      take into account the grandchild's desires regarding visitation. The act establishes a
             10      standard for modification of an existing visitation order.
             11      This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
             12      AMENDS:
             13          30-5-1, as last amended by Chapter 265, Laws of Utah 2000
             14          30-5-2, as last amended by Chapter 265, Laws of Utah 2000
             15      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             16          Section 1. Section 30-5-1 is amended to read:
             17           30-5-1. Definitions.
             18          As used in this act:
             19          (1) "District court" means the district court within whose jurisdiction the grandchildren
             20      reside.
             21          (2) "[Grandchildren] Grandchild" means the child [or children that] with respect to whom
             22      a grandparent is seeking visitation rights with under this chapter.
             23          (3) "Grandparent" means a person whose child, either by blood, marriage, or adoption, is
             24      the parent of the [grandchildren] grandchild.
             25          Section 2. Section 30-5-2 is amended to read:
             26           30-5-2. Visitation rights of grandparents.
             27          (1) Grandparents have standing to bring an action in district court by petition, requesting

             28      visitation in accordance with the provisions and requirements of this section. Grandparents may
             29      also file a petition for visitation rights in a pending divorce proceeding or other proceeding
             30      involving custody and visitation issues.
             31          [(2) The district court may grant grandparents reasonable rights of visitation, if it is in the
             32      best interest of the grandchildren, in cases where a grandparent's child has died or has become a
             33      noncustodial parent through divorce or legal separation.]
             34          [(3) In cases other than those described in Subsection (2), a grandparent may petition the
             35      court for reasonable rights of visitation with a grandchild. The court may enter an order granting
             36      the petitioner reasonable visitation rights in accordance with the provisions and requirements of
             37      this Subsection (3). There is a presumption that a parent's decision with regard to grandparent
             38      visitation is reasonable. The court may override the parent's decision and grant reasonable
             39      visitation rights to a grandparent if it finds that:]
             40          [(a) it is in the best interest of the grandchild;]
             41          [(b) the petitioner is a fit and proper person to have rights of visitation with the
             42      grandchild;]
             43          [(c) the petitioner has repeatedly attempted to visit the grandchild and has not been allowed
             44      to visit the grandchild as a direct result of the actions of the parent or parents;]
             45          [(d) there is no other way for the petitioner to visit the grandchild without court
             46      intervention; and]
             47          [(e) the petitioner has rebutted the presumption that the parent's decision to refuse or limit
             48      visitation with the grandchild was reasonable.]
             49          (2) There is a rebuttable presumption that a parent's decision with regard to grandparent
             50      visitation is in the grandchild's best interests, and that decision must be given special weight.
             51      However, the court may override the parent's decision and grant the petitioner reasonable rights
             52      of visitation if the court finds that:
             53          (a) the petitioner is a fit and proper person to have visitation with the grandchild;
             54          (b) visitation with the grandchild has been denied or unreasonably limited;
             55          (c) visitation is in the best interests of the grandchild; and
             56          (d) the petitioner has otherwise rebutted the presumption.
             57          (3) In determining whether the petitioner has rebutted the presumption stated in Subsection
             58      (2), the court may consider facts which the court considers to be relevant, such as whether:

             59          (a) the parent is unfit or incompetent;
             60          (b) the petitioner has acted as the grandchild's custodian or caregiver, or otherwise has had
             61      a substantial relationship with the grandchild, and the loss or cessation of that relationship is likely
             62      to cause harm to the grandchild;
             63          (c) the petitioner's child, who is a parent of the grandchild, has died, or has become a
             64      noncustodial parent through divorce or legal separation;
             65          (d) the petitioner's child, who is a parent of the grandchild, has been missing for an
             66      extended period of time; or
             67          (e) the court of another state has granted visitation to the petitioner.
             68          (4) (a) There is a rebuttable presumption that adoption of a [child] grandchild, voluntary
             69      or involuntary termination of parental rights with respect to the grandchild, or relinquishment of
             70      the grandchild to a licensed child placing agency terminates all rights of a grandparent to [petition
             71      for] visitation under this section. That presumption may be rebutted if the court finds that [a child]
             72      the grandchild has established a relationship with the grandparent[,] and that the [child's]
             73      grandchild's continued contact with the grandparent will be in the best [interest] interests of the
             74      [child] grandchild.
             75          (b) Nothing in this Subsection (4) affects visitation rights of a grandparent that have been
             76      ordered by a court pursuant to this section, if the grandchild is adopted by the grandchild's
             77      stepparent.
             78          (5) Subject to the provisions of Subsections (2), (3), and (4), the court may inquire of the
             79      grandchild and take into account the grandchild's desires regarding visitation.
             80          (6) On the motion of a grandparent or the legal custodian of a grandchild the court may,
             81      after a hearing, modify an order that established grandparent visitation if:
             82          (a) the circumstances of the grandchild, the grandparent, or the custodian have materially
             83      and substantially changed since the entry of the order to be modified, or the order has become
             84      unworkable or inappropriate under existing circumstances; and
             85          (b) modification of the terms and conditions of the order would be in the best interests of
             86      the grandchild.
             87          [(5)] (7) Grandparents may petition the court as provided in Section 78-32-12.2 to remedy
             88      a parent's wrongful noncompliance with a visitation order.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 10-22-01 2:41 PM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

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