Can a grandparent apply for contact while the parents' own parenting case is still ongoing?

Yes, a grandparent isn't required to wait for the parents' own parenting case to finish before applying for contact, though whether it's the right time to do so is a practical, strategic question as much as a legal one. Filing while the parents' case is still ongoing can sometimes be efficient, especially if a court is willing to hear the grandparent's application alongside the existing case, but it can also add complexity to an already contested proceeding between the parents, and a court may prefer to deal with the parents' issues first before considering an additional party.

In some situations, it makes more sense for a grandparent to try to resolve access informally with whichever parent is willing to cooperate while the parents' litigation continues, and reserve a formal application for after the parents' case concludes and the family's situation has stabilized. In more urgent situations - for example, where a grandparent's contact is actively being cut off during the parents' dispute - waiting may not be realistic, and an earlier application, or a request to intervene in the existing case, may be worth pursuing. A family lawyer can help assess the timing that best serves the grandparent's actual goal of maintaining the relationship with the child.