Grandparents And Visitation
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 452.402 — sixty days unreasonably denied, one of three situations, and the child's best interests
In Missouri, the court may grant reasonable visitation to grandparents who have been unreasonably denied visitation for more than sixty days, where:
- The child's parents have filed for dissolution of their marriage, in which a grandparent may intervene on visitation alone, or later move to modify the decree.
- One parent has died and the surviving parent denies reasonable visitation to a parent of the deceased parent.
- The child has lived in the grandparent's home for at least six months within the twenty four months before the petition.
Only in the child's best interests. Visitation is ordered only when the court finds it in the child's best interests, and the court may set reasonable conditions or restrictions. It may appoint a guardian ad litem, order a home study, and consult the child about the child's wishes.
The right to visitation may end on the child's adoption, and the section addresses attorney fees and costs. Whether a grandparent qualifies is a question for the court and for a licensed Missouri attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 452.402 — Grandparents' visitation rights
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Missouri attorney.