Lexington, NC - In North Carolina, by law, no grandparent is entitled to the right to visit their grandkids.

That means if there's a divorce, or only one parent has custody, one set of grandparents could be kept from seeing their own flesh and blood.

It's been more than two years since Regina Michael last saw her 8-year-old grandson.

"It was April of 2010, Easter Day. That's the last time," explained Michael. "The next day, she said we weren't allowed to come around."

Regina's son and her grandson's mother split. The child lives with his mother and Regina says the mom does not want her to see him.

In North Carolina, parents have the right to decide who does and does not get to see their children, even grandparents.

"Every time you make plans, they don't happen, or bring them presents and leave them on the porch, I've had to do that too," said Michael.

She's missed birthdays, holidays, and first days of school. They're memories she will never share, but it's a pain she unfortunately has to.

"It's not just for me but it's for all the grandparents that don't get to see their kids," explains Michael. "I want a right to where if I want to go see my grandkids, I have that right."

In most cases in North Carolina, grandparents do not have the right to petition the court for visitation rights.

Last year, some state lawmakers drafted a bill that would have provided those rights, but it died in committee.

Grandparents in Virginia do have the right to petition for visitation, and in South Carolina, if the child's parent has visitation rights, the grandparent typically does also.

WFMY News 2