A child custody and visitation rights dispute does not necessarily involve people who were married and have gotten a divorce. People who have a child out of wedlock can still face these concerns and need help in handling them. The Acknowledgment of Paternity is an important factor in addressing these complex cases. Knowing about the importance of the Acknowledgment of Paternity and having legal assistance to represent the interests of the mother or possible father is critical.
If the mother is unmarried at the time of the child’s birth, there will not be a legal father. Until there is a legal father, the biological father will have neither the rights nor the responsibilities that a legal father has. To rectify this situation, the parents can sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity form. This is generally done at the time of the child’s birth, but there are other locations where it is available such as the birth registrar or the child support office. On this form, there will be a father named. He will be given the right to have custody and visitation. There might also be the requirement that he pay child support to the mother. With this form, the father’s name will be placed on the child’s birth certificate.
The Acknowledgment of Paternity can only be filled out if the parents are unmarried. When the child is born, if the mother is married or was married at the time of the pregnancy, there cannot be an Acknowledgment of Paternity. The form is voluntary. There is no requirement that the parents sign it. Therefore, the parents should be certain as to who the father is.
There are many different factors and circumstances that are part of a child custody case and the Acknowledgment of Paternity can deal with one that is often problematic if the mother and the possible father are not married. To collect child support, for there to be a child custody order and visitation rights, having legal assistance in these matters is imperative. A law firm that is experienced in family law, custody and visitation can help the mother and the father.