Do Grandparents Have Rights?

In simpler times, Little Red Riding Hood set off by herself to visit her grandmother. Today she might have to bring along a lawyer.

In a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, Jenifer and Gary Troxel of Washington state are suing for access to their granddaughters, Natalie, 10, and Isabelle, 8, which the girls' mother had restricted.

The Troxels' son, Brad, who was the girls' father, had committed suicide. When the girls' mother, Tommie Granville, later remarried, she and her husband allowed their children to visit the Troxels, but not as much as the Troxels wanted. The Troxels sued for visitation rights under Washington's grandparents' rights law, which permits visitation. In recent years, all 50 states have enacted similar laws.

But Granville argues that a parent should have absolute power over who gets to see a child, and when. The Washington State Supreme Court agreed, ruling that, lacking evidence that the children are being harmed, the law violates a parent's right to raise children without state interference.

Now, it's up to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is very interested--six of the nine Justices are grandparents.