There are two ways you can either contact an attorney or we can do self help
Fathers’ Rights Attorneys and Paternity Actions :-
Paternity refers to the establishment of the legal father of a child. Often, paternity issues arise in cases involving child support, but they can also be significant concerning adoption, inheritance, custody and visitation, and health care. While many states require that paternity be established by a “preponderance of the evidence,” meaning that it must be more likely than not that a putative father is a father, some states apply a higher standard.
If you’re seeking to establish or challenge paternity in a civil suit, an attorney or self help can help you offer the correct evidence under state law and complete the proper paperwork.
Adoption :-
In all states, the birth mother and the birth father hold the primary right of consent to the adoption of their child. However, for a father to maintain this right, he must establish paternity. A father may also have this right terminated for reasons including abandonment, failure to support the child, mental incompetence, or a finding of parental unfitness due to abuse or neglect.
Adoption proceedings can differ depending on the state in which you reside. States have different rules with respect to waiting periods, and in the case of older children, they may have regulations regarding the child’s consent and potential counseling. An attorney can work with you through the adoption process or in challenging an adoption.
Your attorney will understand your state’s adoption statutes and what is required of you, whether establishing paternity to challenge the adoption or providing legal consent.
Terminating Your Parental Rights
Generally, parents have the right to determine their child’s care and custody and to educate their child. In general, parental rights are terminated individually and voluntarily or involuntarily. The procedure for termination of parental rights can be very challenging and can vary from state to state. A father’s rights attorney will know what is required for the termination in your form and help you through the process.
Involuntary termination occurs when one parent seeks to sever the other parent’s rights legally. Automatic termination can also occur without either parent’s consent when a state agency initiates legal proceedings to terminate the rights of both parents and allow the child to be adopted. In seeking involuntary termination, the parent or agency generally considers abandonment, failure to support the child, child abuse, whether the parent is in jail, and other factors weighing in favor of termination.
If you’re subject to involuntary termination, your attorney will help you gather the proper documents and paperwork proving your fitness to retain your rights. Being a party to an automatic termination is complicated, and your attorney will advocate on your behalf, so your rights aren’t wrongly terminated.
Child Support, Visitation, and Custody
Once paternity is established, a father may be required to pay child support and can pursue child visitation or other custody rights. An attorney understands what’s needed in these situations and can work with you through the processes.
Child support orders are issued by the family court and are based on state child support guidelines. The court can deviate from these guidelines if there are valid reasons for doing so. Suppose you move to a different state while subject to a child support order. In that case, you may fall under the Revised Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act, by which states recognize and ensure payment of child support. Your attorney can work for you to obtain the best possible result in entering a child support order and help you comply with an entered order.
An attorney can also help you negotiate and draft a parenting agreement that considers primary custody, visitation, education, health care, and changes to the parenting arrangement. Your lawyer can help you reach an equitable agreement, which will be approved in court. A contested hearing may be requested if a deal can’t be reached. In this case, your attorney will advocate obtaining a result that respects your rights as a parent and is in your child’s best interests.
Legally exercising parental rights can be complex and challenging. An attorney can assist you with court paperwork, help you gather evidence, draft legal documents, and advocate on your behalf before a family court judge.