Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57, 22 (2000)

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74

TROXEL v. GRANVILLE

Opinion of O'Connor, J.

banks v. McCarter, 330 Md. 39, 49-50, 622 A. 2d 121, 126-127 (1993) (interpreting best-interest standard in grandparent visitation statute normally to require court's consideration of certain factors); Williams v. Williams, 256 Va. 19, 501 S. E. 2d 417, 418 (1998) (interpreting Virginia nonparental visitation statute to require finding of harm as condition precedent to awarding visitation).

Justice Stevens criticizes our reliance on what he characterizes as merely "a guess" about the Washington courts' interpretation of § 26.10.160(3). Post, at 82 (dissenting opinion). Justice Kennedy likewise states that "[m]ore specific guidance should await a case in which a State's highest court has considered all of the facts in the course of elaborating the protection afforded to parents by the laws of the State and by the Constitution itself." Post, at 102 (dissenting opinion). We respectfully disagree. There is no need to hypothesize about how the Washington courts might apply § 26.10.160(3) because the Washington Superior Court did apply the statute in this very case. Like the Washington Supreme Court, then, we are presented with an actual visitation order and the reasons why the Superior Court believed

Md. Fam. Law Code Ann. § 9-102 (1999); Mass. Gen. Laws § 119:39D (1996); Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 722.27b (West Supp. 1999); Minn. Stat. § 257.022 (1998); Miss. Code Ann. § 93-16-3 (1994); Mo. Rev. Stat. § 452.402 (Supp. 1999); Mont. Code Ann. § 40-9-102 (1997); Neb. Rev. Stat. § 43-1802 (1998); Nev. Rev. Stat. § 125C.050 (Supp. 1999); N. H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 458:17-d (1992); N. J. Stat. Ann. § 9:2-7.1 (West Supp. 1999-2000); N. M. Stat. Ann. § 40-9-2 (1999); N. Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 72 (McKinney 1999); N. C. Gen. Stat. §§ 50-13.2, 50-13.2A (1999); N. D. Cent. Code § 14-09-05.1 (1997); Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §§ 3109.051, 3109.11 (Supp. 1999); Okla. Stat., Tit. 10, § 5 (Supp. 1999); Ore. Rev. Stat. § 109.121 (1997); 23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 5311-5313 (1991); R. I. Gen. Laws §§ 15-5-24 to 15-5-24.3 (Supp. 1999); S. C. Code Ann. § 20-7-420(33) (Supp. 1999); S. D. Codified Laws § 25-4-52 (1999); Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 36-6-306, 36-6-307 (Supp. 1999); Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 153.433 (Supp. 2000); Utah Code Ann. § 30-5-2 (1998); Vt. Stat. Ann., Tit. 15, §§ 1011-1013 (1989); Va. Code Ann. § 20-124.2 (1995); W. Va. Code §§ 48-2B-1 to 48-2B-7 (1999); Wis. Stat. §§ 767.245, 880.155 (1993-1994); Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 20-7-101 (1999).

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