Blakely and Missouri\u27s Grandparent Visitation Statute: An Abridgment of Parents\u27 Constitutional Rights - Blakely v. Blakely

Universally, states have enacted statutes granting nonparental parties, specifically grandparents, the right to petition courts for visitation of minor children. However, the states differ significantly in the manner in which they grant these parties that right. A recent United States Supreme Court decision, Troxel v. Granville, addressed the issue of the constitutionality of nonparental visitation statutes. Unfortunately, the Court failed to provide much clarity to the states in deciding constitutional challenges to these statutes. The Note explores the analysis employed by the Missouri Supreme Court in Blakely v. Blakely and argues that Missouri’s grandparent visitation statute is unconstitutional