Recent Texas court rulings have supported “reasonable possession or access to” a grandchild, as long as it is deemed in “the best interest of the child”. This goes against decades of rulings where grandparents had virtually no rights, regardless of the family situation.
This issue is more relevant due to the vast numbers of out of wedlock babies and the drop in marriages altogether. Combined with rampant unemployment in young adults, the scenario of a grandparent as primary caregiver is all too common. Often a concerned grandparent is the most competent adult in the child’s life. Impulsive decisions to deny access can be harmful to the child, which the court now recognizes.
Clearly, diplomacy is you best option in this situation, but legal recourse is now a reasonable trump card. You do cross a line when you use this action, but you also must protect those who cannot protect themselves.