Grandparents awarded visitation rights in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court ruled Monday that grandparents can be awarded visitation rights with grandchildren over a parent's wishes in some circumstances.

The court's unanimous decision sided with maternal grandparents who wanted to visit a granddaughter following the death of her mother but were challenged by the girl's father.

The girl's parents were never married and the father said the grandparents tried to turn the girl against him.

The grandparents had raised the girl until she was 5 years old after the mother died of cancer.

Friday's ruling said Ohio law properly balances the wishes of parents and the best interests of a child.

The ruling requires a judge to set up a visitation schedule for Gary and Carol Harrold of Wooster and their granddaughter Brittany. Her father, Brian Collier, has custody.