Key Facts– Washington’s law permitted anyone to petition a court for visitation rights to a child at any time. Grandparents Jennifer and Gary Troxel petitioned for the right to visit their grandchildren, while Granville, the mother, opposed.

Issue– Does the Washington law unconstitutionally interfere with parental rights?

Holding– Yes

Result– Law overturned

Reasoning– Parental rights deserve to be accorded significant deference by the law. Under Due Process, the parents’ determination of their child’s best interests should receive special weight. Here, it seems that based on the local law, the lower courts behaved in the opposite way.