The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2025 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
(Cite as: 15 V.S.A. § 1013)
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§ 1013. Decision
(a) The court shall grant the petitioner reasonable visitation or access to the grandchild
upon determining that to do so would be in the best interests of the child.
(b) In determining the best interests of the child, the court shall consider the following
factors:
(1) the love, affection, and other emotional ties existing between the grandparents involved
and the child;
(2) the capacity and disposition of the parties involved to give the child love, affection,
and guidance;
(3) the nature of the relationship between the petitioner and the grandchild and the desirability
of maintaining that relationship;
(4) the moral fitness of the parties;
(5) the mental and physical health of the parties;
(6) the reasonable preference of the child, if the court deems the child to be of sufficient
age to express a preference;
(7) the willingness and ability of the petitioner to facilitate and encourage a close
and continuing relationship between the child and the other parties; and
(8) any other factor which the court considers to be relevant to a just determination
regarding visitation or access. (Added 1983, No. 219 (Adj. Sess.), eff. May 9, 1984.)