Opinion ID: 1834173
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Third-Party Visitation.

Text: We have repeatedly held that custodial parents have a common law veto power over visitation between the child and all other third parties, except the noncustodial parent. Petition of Ash, 507 N.W.2d 400, 404 (Iowa 1993); Lihs v. Lihs, 504 N.W.2d 890, 891 (Iowa 1993); In re Marriage of Freel, 448 N.W.2d 26, 27-28 (Iowa 1989); Olds v. Olds, 356 N.W.2d 571, 574 (Iowa 1984). The only exception to the common law rule is a statutory rule allowing grandparents visitation under limited circumstances enumerated by statute. See Iowa Code § 598.35; Olds, 356 N.W.2d at 573. There are several policy reasons supporting a limitation on visitation by third parties other than the noncustodial parent. In Olds we noted that the limitation demonstrates a respect for family privacy and parental autonomy. The rule recognizes that the government is ill-equipped to dictate the details of social interaction among family members. It also recognizes that the parenting right is a fundamental liberty interest that is protected against unwarranted state intrusion. Id. at 574. We have also expressed concern that an attempt to judicially enforce visitation rights by third parties would divide and thereby hamper proper parental authority, force the child into the midst of a conflict of authority and possible ill feelings between parent and other persons, and coerce what should remain a moral obligation rather than a legal one. Lihs, 504 N.W.2d at 892. We have refused to expand visitation rights to third parties whenever visitation would be in the best interest of the child because to do so would leave us with no clear guidelines as to where such visitation should stop. Id. at 893. For example, claims for visitation could arise from siblings, aunts, uncles, and other persons with special relationships. With so many potential petitioners, a court would have to decide which petitioners are more deserving of visitation than others, and how much time each petitioner should receive with the child. It could be chaotic, at best, assigning so many diverse visitations to an already limited number of weekends and holidays. Id. at 893. See also, Annotation, Visitation Rights of Persons Other Than Natural Parents or Grandparents, 1 A.L.R.4th 1270, § 6 (1980). Here, Douglas attempts to go beyond a claim for visitation and seek custody of the child. The policy constraints on granting third parties visitation also prohibit granting custody to third parties over a competing claim by the child's natural parent. If this court lacks any statutory or common law authority to authorize relationships with a third party for the purpose of ordering visitation over the natural parent's objection, we clearly have no authority to grant custody to an unrelated third party when a suitable natural parent has or seeks custody. Cf. In re Marriage of Reschly, 334 N.W.2d 720 (Iowa 1983) (court may only grant custody to nonparent over a parent when the parent with custody is unsuitable).