A Nonparents Ability to Infringe on the Fundamental Right of Parenting: Reconciling Virginia's Nonparental Child Custody and Visitation Standards
![handle is hein.journals/regulr30 and id is 221 raw text is:
A NONPARENT'S ABILITY TO INFRINGE ON THE
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF PARENTING:
RECONCILING VIRGINIA'S NONPARENTAL CHILD
CUSTODY AND VISITATION STANDARDS
David W. Lannetti*
[S]o long as a parent adequately cares for his or her children (i.e.,
is fit), there will normally be no reason for the State to inject itself
into the private realm of the family to further question the ability
of that parent to make the best decisions concerning the rearing
of that parent's children.'
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ............................................ ...... 204
1. THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT'S GUIDANCE-OR LACK
THEREOF-IN TROXEL v GRANVILLE ..................... .........207
A. Recognition of the Fundamental Right of Parenting in Child
Visitation Determinations ...................................... 209
B. The Failure to Establish the Requisite Standard of Proof for
Nonparental Child Visitation Determinations............. ..... 211
C. How States Reacted to Troxel ............................ 212
1. Heightened Best-Interests-of-the-Child Standard ...... .....213
2. Actual-Harm Standard.. ................................ 216
II. NONPARENTAL CHILD VISITATION AND CUSTODY IN VIRGINIA ............219
A. Virginia's Statutory Framework for Nonparental Child Visitation
and Custody ...................................... ...... 219
B. Child Visitation in Virginia .............................. 221
1. Child Visitation Before Troxel ............................. 221
2. Child Visitation After Troxel.................. ........... 224
C. Child Custody in Virginia .......................... ..... 230
1. Child Custody Before Troxel.. .................... ........230
Judge, Fourth Judicial Circuit of Virginia, and Adjunct Professor, Regent University Law
School and William & Mary Law School. The views advanced in this Article represent commentary
concerning the law, the legal system, [and] the administration of justice as authorized by Virginia
Canon of Judicial Conduct 4(B) (permitting judges to speak, write, lecture, teach, and otherwise
participate in extrajudicial efforts to improve the legal system). These views should not be mistaken
for the official views of the Norfolk Circuit Court or my opinion as a circuit court judge in the context
of any specific case. The author thanks Norfolk Circuit Court judicial law clerk Jessica Samms,
Esquire, for her assistance in researching and editing this Article.
' Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57, 68-69 (2000) (plurality opinion).](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.journals/regulr30&div=16&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
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