Oregon Legal Research Blog
FACT: There are no fill-in-the-blank forms to submit to the court for grandparent visitation rights!
I repeat: THERE ARE NO OFFICIAL FORMS, NO UNOFFICIAL FORMS, and NO FILL-in-the-BLANK FORMS for petitioning the court for third-party or grandparent visitation rights.
If you don’t want to believe me, read the 2012 Legal Guide for Grandparents, which also says there are no fill-in-the-blank-forms.
These types of cases involve third party rights, which is what grandparents are, and can become very complicated very quickly. For example, the court will need to know things like these, among many other details about the litigants:
- Is there a pending or closed case involving the parents?
- Has there been juvenile court or DHS involvement?
- Is there a support obligation floating around in an administrative or judicial proceeding?
- For paternal grandparents, has paternity been established?
- If there are multiple children and multiple grandparents, are there multiple fathers who may have their own judicial of administrative actions?
You can find NON-Oregon sample and generic “grandparent visitation” petitions and forms online, but the usual strong disclaimers apply (see the Legal Forms Pyramid).
The Bottom Line: Unless you know how to do the required legal research and legal drafting, and have the time and ability to read court rules, laws, statutes, and regulations, and consult with an Oregon attorney who specializes in family law (if only to avoid wasting time and money on filing a useless form), you are well advised to hire an attorney to represent your interests.
You may qualify for a free or low-cost legal assistance programs in Oregon. Please contact Legal Aid Services of Oregon, an Oregon Law Center office, your county’s senior services office (e.g. the Washington County Disability, Aging & Veterans Services office), or the Elders In Action office.
You may also call the Oregon State Bar for a lawyer referral.