Grant of Visitation to Grandmother Reversed

In reversing Family Court’s grant of visitation rights to the children’s grandmother (more than what the mother wanted to allow), the Third Department wrote:

Where, as here, the parents of children are alive, Domestic Relations Law § 72 gives grandparents the right to seek visitation with their grandchildren where, as a threshold matter, they can establish circumstances in which “equity would see fit to intervene,” i.e., that equitable circumstances exist (Domestic Relations Law § 72 [1]…). * * * Upon our review of the testimony, we conclude that petitioner  did  not  establish  equitable  circumstances  that  justify according her standing to force the mother to accept visitation outside parameters  within which  she is comfortable as a fit and responsible parent … .  “[C]ourts should  not  lightly intrude on  the family  relationship  against  a  fit parent’s  wishes. The presumption that a fit parent’s decisions are in the child’s best interests is a strong one” …  Matter of Hill v Juhase, 514036, 3rd Dept, 4-25-13