In re Guardianship of A.J.A.

Father murdered Mother in the presence of their two small children. Father's brother and his significant other (Guardians) were granted guardianship over the children. The paternal grandmother (Grandmother) petitioned to intervene in the guardianship for purposes of seeking grandparent visitation. Guardians argued that Grandmother lacked standing to petition for visitation. The trial court disagreed and granted limited visitation for Grandmother but later declared the grandparent visitation order void and vacated for want of subject matter jurisdiction, finding that Grandmother lacked standing. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that Grandmother lacked standing to file a grandparent visitation petition under the Grandparent Visitation Statute because she was not the grandparent of the deceased parent, nor was she the grandparent of a dissolved marriage. View "In re Guardianship of A.J.A." on Justia Law