{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-405.021","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 405.021","heading":"Reasonable visitation rights to grandparents.","body":"(1) (a) The Circuit Court may grant reasonable visitation rights to either the paternal\nor maternal grandparents of a child and issue any necessary orders to enforce\nthe decree if it determines that it is in the best interest of the child to do so.\nOnce a grandpar ent has been granted visitation rights under this subsection,\nthose rights shall not be adversely affected by the termination of parental\nrights belonging to the grandparent's son or daughter, who is the father or\nmother of the child visited by the grandpa rent, unless the Circuit Court\ndetermines that it is in the best interest of the child to do so.\n(b) If the parent of the child who is the son or daughter of the grandparent is\ndeceased, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that visitation with the\ngrandparent is in the best interest of the child if the grandparent can prove a\npre-existing significant and viable relationship with the child.\n(c) In order to prove a significant and viable relationship under paragraph (b) of\nthis subsection, the grandparent  shall prove by a preponderance of the\nevidence that:\n1. The child resided with the grandparent for at least six (6) consecutive\nmonths with or without the current custodian present;\n2. The grandparent was the caregiver of the child on a regular basis for at\nleast six (6) consecutive months;\n3. The grandparent had frequent or regular contact with the child for at\nleast twelve (12) consecutive months; or\n4. There exist any other facts that establish that the loss of the relationship\nbetween the grandparent and the child is likely to harm the child.\n(2) The action shall be brought in Circuit Court in the county in which the child resides.\n(3) The Circuit Court may grant noncustodial parental visitation rights to the\ngrandparent of a child if the parent of the  child who is the son or daughter of the\ngrandparent is deceased and the grandparent has assumed the financial obligation of\nchild support owed by the deceased parent, unless the court determines that the\nvisitation is not in the best interest of the child . If visitation is not granted, the\ngrandparent shall not be responsible for child support.","path":["KRS Chapter 405"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=48318","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:59:31Z","sha256":"0e6c2cf742ffa18b807c82cccce485663d0f7a0adeb1dfbeffaee9f10d1669e2","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-405.020","next":"us-ky/krs-405.023"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}