The Oklahoma Bar Journal January 2026

that stepparents, when acting in loco parentis , be afforded standing to seek custody or visitation when it is in the child’s best interests. Equity demands no less.

ENDNOTES 1. Taylor v. Taylor, 182 Okla. 11, 75 P.2d 1132, 1938 OK 77. 2. See Taylor , supra , at ¶6. 3. Taylor at ¶28. 4. Taylor at ¶31. [Emphasis supplied]. 5. Parte Yahola, 1937 OK 306, 71 P.2d 968. 6. [Emphases supplied]. See Ex parte Yahola at ¶5. 7. See Ex parte Yahola at ¶7. 8. Ex parte Parker, 1945 OK 61, 156 P.2d 584. 9. Osburn v. Roberts, 1946 OK 129, 169 P.2d 293. 12. Id . 13. Id. 14. Osburn at ¶4. 15. Schnedler v. Lee , 2019 OK 52, 445 P.3d 238, at ¶¶17, 18, 19. 16. Eldredge v. Taylor, 2014 OK 92, 339 P.3d 888. 17. See, e.g., Application of Grover, 1984 OK 20, 681 P.2d 81; Ingles v. Hodges, 1977 OK 18, 562 P.2d 845; Hood v. Adams, 1964 OK 217, 396 P.2d 483; Gibson v. Dorris, 1963 OK 235, 386 P.2d 186. 18. See, e.g., Application of Grover , 1984 OK 20, 681 P.2d 81; Gibson v. Dorris , 1963 OK 235, 386 P.2d 186; Marshall v. Marshall , 1976 OK 127, 555 P.2d 598; McVey v. Chester , 1955 OK 275; and McDonald v. Wrigley , 1994 OK 25, 870 P.2d 777, at ¶¶4, 5 and 7. 19. Matter of the Guardianship of M.R.S., 1998 OK 38, 960 P.2d 357 at ¶16. 10. Osburn at ¶5. 11. Osburn at ¶3.

20. Eldredge v. Taylor, 2014 OK 92, 339 P.3d 888; Ramey v. Sutton , 2015 OK 79, 362 P.3d 217; and Schnedler v. Lee , 2019 OK 52, 445 P.3d 238. 21. Eldredge v. Taylor, 2014 OK 91, 339 P.3d 888. 22. Ramey v. Sutton, 2015 OK 79, 362 P.2d 217. 23. Ramey, supra, at ¶19. [Emphasis supplied]. 24. Ramey, supra, at ¶14. 25. Ramey, supra, at ¶15. [Emphasis supplied]. 26. Ramey, supra, at ¶17. 27. Schnedler v. Lee, 2019 OK 52, 445 P.3d 238. 28. See Schnedler at ¶16. 29. See Schnedler at ¶17. 30. See Schnedler at ¶18. 31. United States v. Floyd, 81 F.3d 1517, 1524 (10th Cir. 1996). 32. See Schnedler at ¶22. 33. Guzman v. Guzman, 2021 OK 26, 507 P.3d 630.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A Tulsa native, Todd Alexander is an experienced family law attorney. He has served as a guardian ad litem

for over 20 years and as a parent coordinator in over 100 cases. His practice focuses solely on family law matters, including divorce, paternity, modifications, guardianships and probate. He is an award-winning mediator, frequent CLE presenter and adjunct professor at TU. He and his wife have two grown children, and he is also an amateur musician.

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Statements or opinions expressed in the Oklahoma Bar Journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Oklahoma Bar Association, its officers, Board of Governors, Board of Editors or staff.

44 | JANUARY 2026

THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL