Does Zayn Malik Have Legal Options To Keep Yolanda Hadid Away From His Daughter? - Exclusive
Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik may have broken up, but somehow they need to keep the pieces of their shattered family together. Not only are baby Khai's parents no longer together, but their split is mired with controversy, as Gigi's mom, Yolanda Hadid, and Zayn are at loggerheads.
On October 28, according to TMZ, Yolanda claimed that Zayn struck her, an allegation which the former One Direction singer "adamantly denies," he told the outlet. Per court documents (via Us Weekly), Zayn allegedly called Yolanda a "Dutch slut," "shoved [Yolanda] into a dresser," and demanded that she "stay away from [my] f***ing daughter." On Twitter, he explained that he pleaded no contest to the claims in order to provide and "protect" Khai with a "safe and private space" without media involvement. But the "Pillowtalk" singer's alleged request that Yolanda keep her distance from Khai begs the question if he can legally do so.
An Us Weekly insider called Zayn and Gigi's relationship "destructive," claiming that "it's much better that they have separated." And since the couple has a 1-year-old daughter, "they are actively and amicably working to find the best way to co-parent now," a source told People. The insider added, "Yolanda is inserting herself into a situation that does not involve her," indicating that Gigi's mom may be making her feelings known.
In order to disentangle the Zayn-Gigi-Yolanda situation involving little Khai, Nicki Swift spoke with two attorneys who shared their expert insight on the matter. This is what they had to say about Yolanda's rights as a grandmother.
Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid jointly have the final say in Khai's life
Austin-based attorney Holly Davis of Kirker Davis is an expert in family law and high-value divorce cases, so she has unique insight into any legal right Zayn Malik would have to keep baby Khai away from Gigi Hadid's mom, Yolanda Hadid.
"When parents break up and they have possession of their child, the other parent's preferences about what should happen on that parent's time no longer matter," Davis said. "Meaning that Zayn and Gigi have broken up, and they will determine their custody arrangement of the child and should be free from interference from Yolanda about that issue."
Essentially, when either Zayn or Gigi has Khai physically with them, they get to decide who can spend time around her. "Gigi on her time may allow Yolanda to be around as much as possible, but during Zayn's time, Yolanda has no right to access the child or dictate any outcomes for the child," Davis explained, noting that "Gigi will have to co-parent with Zayn for their child's entire life" — but "Yolanda's preferences, opinions, and problems with Zayn will not dictate what Zayn is able to do."
Does Yolanda Hadid have any legal rights to Khai?
Regardless of the current controversy, it's clear that Yolanda Hadid loves her granddaughter. On Khai's first birthday, she shared a photo on Instagram where she snuggled the baby. "When I woke up this morning and counted all my blessings in life this little Angel was ranked #1," Yolanda captioned the image. "I always knew [my mother] was crazy for her grandkids but this is the first time I truly understand the depth of how much she loved my children," she added. But does a grandparent have any legal rights to their grandchildren?
Attorney and CPA Brent Kaspar, managing partner at Kaspar & Lugay LLP, offered his insight into the situation. Speaking exclusively to Nicki Swift, he noted that "grandparents don't have a lot of rights, especially if parents are presenting a united front that they want them banned from contact with the child," he advised (though this doesn't necessarily appear to be the case with Gigi and Zayn, as it looks like it's only Zayn who wants to keep Yolanda away from Khai. "However, in a joint custody arrangement, this issue goes away," Kaspar explained, echoing attorney Holly Davis' comments above. "The parent who has custody can allow visitation by the grandparent, or anyone they choose, while the child is with them."
As for grandparents' rights, Kaspar continued, "Grandparents have more legal rights in a situation in which a parent dies," explaining that "in such a case, [grandparents] ... would get visitation rights," even if the "surviving parent is being unreasonable."