Smith v. Koolidge
Smith v. Koolidge
Opinion of the Court
We affirm the trial court’s dismissal of Smith’s petition for grandparent visitation based on Saul v. Brunetti, 753 So.2d 26 (Fla. 2000).
Smith sought grandparent visitation pursuant to section 752.01(l)(d), Florida Statutes (1999),
Saul rendered section 752.01(l)(d) unconstitutional. 753 So.2d at 29. Smith asserts, however, that Spence v. Stewart, 705 So.2d 996 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998), allows section 752.01(l)(d) to be constitutionally applied here. We disagree.
Spence recognized grandparents’ statutory right to seek visitation in dissolution and paternity proceedings. 705 So.2d at 998. This court clarified in Brunetti v. Saul, 724 So.2d 142 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998), aff'd, Saul v. Brunetti, 753 So.2d 26 (Fla. 2000), that Spence is grounded on section 61.13.
We also reject Smith’s assertion that section 752.01(l)(d) may be constitutionally applied when a child is threatened with harm. Saul declared section 752.01(l)(d) unconstitutional based on the reasoning of Von Eiff v. Azicri, 720 So.2d 510 (Fla. 1998), and Beagle v. Beagle, 678 So.2d 1271 (Fla. 1996). Those cases declared other subsections of the statute unconstitutional, recognizing that the statutory provisions failed to require a showing of demonstrable harm to the child as the basis for
Accordingly, Smith has no right to seek visitation here.
. It should be noted that the current version of the statute lists subsection (d) as subsection (c). See § 752.01(1), Fla.Stat. (2000).
. This statute allows the court to award grandparents visitation rights in a dissolution proceeding if it is in the child’s best interests. See 61.13(2)(b)2.c., Fla.Stat. (2000).
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.