Divorce Overview
FATHER’S RIGHTS LAWYER
If you are a father of a child or children born out of wedlock, you need to take certain steps to protect your rights as a father and your relationship with your children. Even if you have a good, working relationship with your children’s mother, there are numerous reasons to have your status as the children’s father legally recognized:
- The children’s mother may attempt to move away with them
- The children’s mother may become incapacitated or die
- Concerns about the children’s safety and well-being may arise
- The children’s mother may deny you access
While it may be difficult to envision any of these things coming to pass, the repercussions if they do, and you have not established paternity, could be devastating. Imagine your children being beyond your reach. They may be placed in the care of the state of Georgia. You may simply have no say in your children’s upbringing.
Before a legal relationship with the child can commence, a petition requesting legitimation must be filed in Georgia, by any man fathering a child out of wedlock. This is the case even if the father and the mother live together, the father pays child support or the birth certificate was signed by the father.
A petition for legal rights to the child can be filed by the father, once a DNA test has verified paternity, or the father has acknowledged that he is the biological father. Under Georgia family law, this allows the father visitation and child custody and the father can also request custodial rights and legitimation. Our experienced team can help you with your fathers rights and can file these petitions on your behalf.
Putative Father Registry
The state’s department of Human Resources explains that biological fathers can enter information about themselves and, the mother and the biological child in the putative father registry. Registering your name enables any man who thinks that he is the biological father of a child to keep informed of any legal proceedings and adoptions. Father’s Rights Attorney Diana Young suggests that it is important to enter your information into this system immediately if you are a father and have yet to file your petition of legitimation.
Defend Your Rights and Preserve Your Relationship With Your Children
None of these possibilities are anything a father wants. Marietta father’s rights attorney Diana Young can help you file a Petition to establish your rights as a father. The court may utilize a DNA test to determine your status. Establishing yourself as the children’s father is required before the court will allow you access to the children. During the legitimization process, the following elements are set down:
- Paternity
- Custody
- Visitation
- Child Support
- Mothers Seeking to Establish Paternity
If you have children and the identity of their father is in dispute, establishing paternity will allow you to set child support obligations that are legally enforceable. We help both mothers and fathers through this process.
Contact Us
For help establishing paternity, call 770-795-9596. You can also contact us online to set up your initial consultation with our Marietta father’s rights attorney. For our clients’ convenience, we accept all major credit cards.