Q: Unmarried parents. Father signed acknowledgement of paternity at hospital when baby was born. Baby is 2 1/2 yrs old now
Parents split up so who has legal custody? I've been told dad has same rights as a married father. Does the courts have to award physical and legal custody?
A: If father signed a Voluntary Declaration of Paternity and is on the birth certificate then he has the same custodial rights as the mother until there is court intervention and the courts decide the matter. Pending that time no one has a superior claim to custody.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.