In Minnesota, when a couple gets a divorce, the spouse's parents may petition the court for visitation time with the grandchildren. This can be useful for grandparents in cases where the custodial parent is not allowing regular visits with the grandchildren.

Most other states have some form of grandparental visitation rights. But in general, members of children's extended families do not have similar legal opportunities. Children's great-grandparents, stepparents and others who may have a close relationship with the children pre-divorce may therefore lose contact with the child if the custodial parent chooses not to allow it.

A lawmaker in Nebraska is hoping to expand his state's visitation laws to include relatives and other adults who played a role in raising the children even if they are not their parents or grandparents. He has introduced a bill in that state's legislature that would allow any person with a "legitimate interest" in a child's welfare. If passed, Nebraska would join 16 other states that use the legitimate interest standard for possible granting of visitation time.

The representative said he wrote the bill after learning that a constituent had not seen his or her great-grandchild in almost nine months with little legal recourse.

Critics say that the standard is too broad and could lead to visitation petitions from people with questionable interests in the children - such as neighbors or sports coaches. The representative said his bill would only give people the right to ask the court for visitation. Whether to grant those petitions would be up to the judge, who would determine whether the child has a significant relationship with the person.

Source: Lincoln Journal Star, "Bill would expand child visitation rights," Kevin O'Hanlon, Feb. 9, 2012