Your Legal Guide Through Life’s Twists And Turns

Unmarried fathers have rights too

| Dec 29, 2016 | Fathers' Rights

Millions of babies are born every year to unwed parents throughout the world. In a lot of situations, the mother is left to care for the baby on her own, and the father is nowhere to be found. However, many Tennessee fathers want to play a role in their child’s upbringing, even have custody of the child, but the mother tries to prevent them from being involved in their children’s lives.

Fortunately, the law is on the father’s side in these cases — even if the parents were never married. Tennessee courts recognize how important it is for a father to be involved in the upbringing of his children. Indeed, it is clearly in the best interest of the child to spend as much time as possible with his or her father, no matter how well the mother and father get along with each other. In fact, courts are so much in favor of fathers spending time with their kids, that in some cases, even fathers who have committed crimes will be permitted visitation rights.

In order to gain the custody or visitation rights they desire, Tennessee fathers will first have to establish paternity. Fathers can do this by obtaining an agreement from the mother that they are indeed the father or by filing the results of a DNA test with the courts. Once paternity is established, then the father can advocate for his parental rights. Sometimes, those rights might extend to the father obtaining partial custody so that his child lives with him part time. At the very least, the father will usually be permitted visitation.

At the Law Offices of Steven C. Girsky, we have a great deal of experience helping fathers assert their paternity rights. If you are a Tennessee dad and you are not being permitted access to your child, or you are being denied paternity rights, we are available to help.

Archives

FindLaw Network