NC S614

Allows grandparents to initiate independent legal actions for visitation rights even when there is no pending custody case involving the child.

Establishes that courts may award grandparent visitation if they find by clear and convincing evidence that compelling circumstances exist, a parent is deceased/incapacitated/incarcerated, and visitation serves the child's best interest.

Requires courts to consider seven specific factors when determining best interest, including the grandparent's willingness to support the parent-child relationship, the child's willingness to develop a relationship with the grandparent, and the custodial parent's past reasonableness in allowing visitation.

Maintains existing protections that biological grandparents of children adopted by unrelated adoptive parents (where both biological parents' rights were terminated) cannot obtain visitation rights.

Becomes effective October 1, 2015, and applies only to visitation actions filed on or after that date.