Are grandparents allowed to sue for defamation of character if they have been denied access to their grandchild?

In Washington, the answer to this question is that grandparents may file a lawsuit to protect their right to access, but not for defamation of character. Grandparents Rights Laws in Washington state allow grandparents to seek visitation rights with their grandchildren, which may include filing a petition with the court. Although these laws are in place to protect grandparents from being denied access to their grandchildren, they do not allow for grandparents to sue for defamation of character if access has been denied. Grandparents may have the right to sue for libel or slander in cases where a grandparent has been defamed or falsely accused, but the defamation needs to be unrelated to the grandparent’s relationship to the grandchild. Grandparents may file a complaint with the court if access is denied, or if the grandparent believes that their visitation rights have been violated. However, the court will not consider issues relating to defamation of character. Grandparents’ Rights Laws in Washington are in place to protect the rights of grandparents to access their grandchildren. However, these laws do not provide a cause of action for grandparents to sue for defamation of character when they have been denied access to their grandchild.

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Are grandparents allowed to sue for defamation of character if they have been denied access to their grandchild?

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