Godparent Rights

My question involves a child custody case from the State of: Illinois

I have had guardianship of my 6 year old grandchild since she was 2 months old. Her Godparents have been an active part in her life since birth. Lately, things have become more and more controlling on their end and it has been making our family uncomfortable. It was little things first, such as having a separate birthday party, haircuts after I said no, etc. Now they've crossed the line by trying to make arrangements with the child's suspected (not proven) father for visitation, behind my back. After this happened, I tried to talk to them about their level of involvement in the child's life and that decisions like the ones they were trying to make were to be left up to me and my daughter (child's mother). The Godmother became furious with me, saying that the child is not my biological child, therefore I have no say. She is now threatening to take me to court to secure weekly visitation with my grandchild so that I cannot interfere. In her words, I have "started a war." Have I started a war? Do they have legal rights as Godparents?

Being a godparent does not create a legally recognized relationship with the child although on paper third party visitation is still an option.

Whether they can convince a court to rule in their favor, I do not know but my gut is saying "no".

With that said, do you have court-ordered guardianship? Custody?

It is court ordered guardianship.

Okay that's good.

The godparents can pout all they want - but the court gave you guardianship.

One more question for you. What led up to the guardianship? Did both parents retain their parental rights?

Thank You. My daughter was 17 when she had her and it was just a situation where keeping the baby with me was the best option. She was awarded visitation every week, but it's been a few years since she last attended a visitation. I would assume she has parental rights, although she is in no position to exercise them (other legal issues at hand with her). The father is strictly presumed at this point. There has never been an establishment of paternity.

The godparent's right is limited to the promises they made to God and the church on behalf of the baptized. Out side of dealing with those two entities, they have no rights with regard to the child.

Excuse me now, I've got to go shoot Moe Green in the eye.

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Quoting Dogmatique

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Being a godparent does not create a legally recognized relationship with the child although on paper third party visitation is still an option.

Whether they can convince a court to rule in their favor, I do not know but my gut is saying "no".

With that said, do you have court-ordered guardianship? Custody?

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IL does not give standing to non-relative, third parties. If I remember correctly their third party statute is limited to grandparents and great grandparents.

Recent, cribbed from various spots:

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Family Visitation: Although visitation is not transferable from a parent to another person, under certain circumstances the common law permits a non-custodial parent to ask the court to permit his or her family to have visitation with the child when the parent is not able to.18 Indeed, it is possible for third-party, non-parents to petition for visitation rights based solely on common law theories. In one famous case,19 the mother died in child birth and the baby lived with the maternal grandparents for the first five years. The father was then awarded custody and he sought to keep the child from the maternal grandparents. The grandparents went to court – without using the grandparents’ visitation law – and were awarded visitation with the child based on common law principles.

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Godparents are not necessarily family.

Oh my gosh I did not know that.