Whether subject-matter jurisdiction exists is a question of law. This Court reviews the trial court's ruling de novo and examines the entire record to determine whether the defendant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Plaintiffs contend on appeal the trial court erred in granting defendants' motion for summary disposition and dismissing plaintiffs' complaint requesting grandparent visitation. Plaintiffs assert the adoption of a child by a stepparent does not terminate the right of the parent of a deceased person to commence an action for grandparenting time. Plaintiffs' argument implicates two statutes and thus requires interpretation of the relevant statutory provisions.
Statutory interpretation is a question of law which is reviewed de novo on appeal.
If the plain and ordinary meaning of the language is clear, judicial construction is neither necessary nor permitted, unless a literal construction of the statute would produce unreasonable and unjust results inconsistent with the purpose of the statute. . . . In construing statutes, the court should avoid any construction that would render a statute, or any part of it, surplusage or nugatory. . . . Statutes that relate to the same subject or share a common purpose are in pari materia and must be read together as one law, even if they contain no reference to one another and were enacted on different dates. . . . Except as provided in this subsection, a grandparent of the child may seek an order for grandparenting time in the manner set forth in this section only if a child custody dispute with respect to that child is pending before the court. If a natural parent of an unmarried child is deceased, a parent of the deceased person may commence an action for grandparenting time.