As an unwed father, it is important to be informed of your rights concerning your child so that the mother does not dictate your visitation schedule or regulate your ability to co-parent your child.
The first step of an unwed father should be to establish paternity. Paternity simply proves that you are the father of the child, but does not automatically give you rights regarding custody and visitation. You may obtain a court order for those rights by filing a Petition for Paternity and Custody with your local Circuit Court.
Establishing paternity before your child is born is rare. Most states allow you to file a petition with the court prior to the birth. However, the judge generally will not make a final decision regarding paternity until the child is born.
If you are concerned about the health and safety of your unborn child for reasons of drug or alcohol abuse, then it is important to contact the agency in your state that handles child abuse cases. Although you have limited rights while your son/daughter is unborn, you may be successful in protecting your unborn child once the state investigates your allegations.
Once your child is born, the easiest way to establish paternity is by getting your name on the birth certificate. I understand that some women, out of spite, flat out refuse to provide the father’s name at the time the baby is born.
In some states, the law requires each parent to sign an Affidavit to Establish Paternity. This affidavit can be filled out and sent in to the Vital Records Office either at the time of birth or shortly thereafter.
If you are a father who was denied the right to fill out such a form on the date your child was born, you should contact your state’s Department of Records to obtain information on how to complete the form on your own.
Another way to establish paternity is through an order from an administrative agency such as Child Support Enforcement. Administrative agencies can be helpful during the initial stages of your paternity action by assisting you with filling out forms and helping you obtain a DNA test to establish that you are the father of the child.
Usually the administrative agency is primarily concerned with child support and not with visitation. This is because the state does not want to pay for health benefits or support the child if there is a father who has the ability to pay.
In my opinion as a family law attorney, the best method of establishing paternity is through a court order, because the court generally will make an order regarding child support and custody at the same time.
To do so, you must file a Petition for Paternity and Child Custody with your local Circuit Court or Family Court. The court will then order a paternity test or look to see if the father is listed on the birth certificate to determine whether paternity has been established.
A court order will generally include a parenting plan for the unwed parties to follow. This plan is usually negotiated between the parties or decided by a judge and will further explain your rights regarding custody, parenting and child support.
Once a plan is established a father will feel more involved in the general upbringing of his child and become more included in decisions concerning education and health care. Without the parenting plan, an unwed father is left to the control and command of the mother of the child.
Even if you have a court order regarding visitation and custody, the mother of your child can still refuse to allow you to see your son/daughter. If this happens to you, you must contact an attorney immediately.
A family law attorney can file a Motion for Contempt and a Family Access Motion. These motions will tell the court that you are trying to see your child, but are unreasonably denied access by the mother. If the court finds in your favor, then the mother of your child risks fines, penalties, and costs for failing to comply with the original court order.
The divorce lawyers for men at Cordell and Cordell handle many domestic litigation issues, including paternity. Contact the Cordell & Cordell office nearest you or learn more information about paternity laws on DadsDivorce.com.
By Michelle Hughes
Mens Divorce Attorney, Cordell & Cordell
