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Custody and Visitation Rights for Grandparents in Louisiana
by: Southeast Louisiana Legal Services   LSC LOGO
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Custody and visitation rights...

 
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Q.

I'm a grandparent who wants legal custody of my grandchild.  What are my rights?  Can I get custody in Louisiana?

A.

That depends on a lot of things. 

Do you need legal custody because the child lives with you and you need to get him in school or get medical care?  Do the parents want you to take care of your grandchild?  If that's the case, you can get provisional (temporary) custody very quickly.  If the parents agree that you can have custody, they can sign a form in front of a notary.  Most free legal aid programs will help you with this.  It is called "Provisional Custody by Mandate" under Louisiana Revised Statute 9:951.  That custody can last for up to one (1) year at a time. 

But if any parents are living and don't want you to have custody it is a lot harder.  You have to sue the parents for custody.  A judge would have to agree you should have legal custody.

Q.

What would I have to show a judge to get custody?

A.

In Louisiana, you have to show that parental custody will cause substantial harm to the child.  This means something very serious, like abuse, violence, abandonment or neglect. 

A parent's low income is not enough to deny her custody.  That the child wants to live with you instead of a parent is also not enough.

You also have to show that living with you would be good for the child.  It is not easy to win custody from a parent.  You should get a lawyer.

Q.What about visitation rights?  The parents won't let me see my grandbaby.  What can I do?
A.

Try to work it out if you can.  You do have a right to go to court and ask a judge to order visitation.  This is under Louisiana Civil Code art. 136.  But it is very hard to get a visitation order.

You have to prove "extraordinary circumstances" to the judge, AND that visitation with you is in the "best interest" of your grandchild. 

 

Q.What are "extraordinary circumstances?"  What do I have to prove?
A.

The judge will look at lots of things, including:

  • The length and quality of your relationship with the child;
  • Whether the child is in need of guidance you can give;
  • What the child wants, if she's old enough to give an opinion;
  • How willing you are to encourage a close relationship between the child and her parents; and
  • The mental and physical health of you and the child.
Q.Can I get visitation if my child is dead or in jail?
A.Yes, a court may give you reasonable visitation if it is in your grandchild's best interest.
 
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Last Reviewed On: 09/23/10
 

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Information, Not Legal Advice. 

Esto es solamente información, no es consejo legal.

 

This web site has been prepared for general information purposes only. The information on this web site is not legal advice. Legal advice depends on the specific facts of each situation. Some information in this web site may not be correct for where you are.  The information in this web site is not guaranteed to be up-to-date.  The information in this web site cannot replace the advice of competent legal counsel licensed in your state.

 

Este sitio del Internet fue preparado para dar solamente información.  La información en este sitio no es consejo legal.  Consejo legal depende de los datos específicos y las circunstancias de cada situación.  Es posible que alguna información en este sitio no comporte con el área o la jurisdicción donde usted vive.  Es posible que la información en este sitio no esté corriente.  La información en este sitio no puede sustituir el consejo de un abogado competente y licenciado en su estado.

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Información sobre un abogado no es una recomendación del abogado.  Antes de contratar con un abogado, usted debe investigar la reputación y las capacidades del abogado.

Links. This web site contains links to other resources on the Internet. Those links are provided as citations and aids to help you identify and locate other Internet resources that may be of interest, and are not intended to state or imply that we sponsor or are affiliated or associated with the persons or entities who created such site, nor are the links intended to state or imply that we are legally authorized to use any trade name, registered trademark, logo, legal or official seal, or copyrighted symbol that may be reflected in the links.

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E-mail. Viewing this Web site, or transmitting an e-mail message through this Web site, does not create an attorney-client relationship. Sending e-mail to an attorney mentioned in this site does NOT create an attorney-client relationship between you and the attorney. Unless you are already a client of the attorney, your e-mail may NOT be protected by the attorney-client privilege. Moreover, unless it is encrypted, e-mail can be intercepted by persons other than the recipient. Deadlines are extremely important in most legal matters. You may lose important legal rights if you do not hire an attorney immediately to advise you. Many people do not check their e-mail daily, and some attorneys do not respond to unsolicited e-mail from non-clients.

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