Understanding Your Rights As A Father – Married Or Not
In the state of Utah, all fathers are granted certain privileges. While this typically wouldn’t be an issue if you and the mother of your child are married — since all husbands are presumed to be the father of any children who are given birth to by their wives — it may be necessary to invoke these rights through an establishment of paternity if you and the mother of your child are unmarried. Similarly, you may need to fight diligently for custody or visitation rights if you have decided to undergo a divorce. While the courts have been advised that all fathers should be given the same considerations as mothers when it comes to determining a parenting plan, you should not assume that this alone will help you to obtain the custody arrangement that you are hoping for. Rather, it is highly recommended that you enlist the assistance of a Salt Lake City divorce attorney who will work tirelessly to protect your rights.
When You Would Need To Establish Paternity
If you are an unmarried father in Utah, it is important to understand that you are not presumed to have the same rights as those who are married. It is for this reason that you may need to establish paternity. In doing so, you would subsequently be able to invoke the same rights that married fathers are afforded — including the rights to see your child and make decisions about his or her upbringing. If paternity is not established, you would not have legal standing in these matters. Fortunately, all it takes is a simple blood test. Once it has been proven that you are, in fact, the father, you can request that the court grant you fatherhood rights. If you are interested in acquiring a portion of the custody or “parent time,” however, additional orders would need to be granted by the court. For this reason, it is highly recommended that you let the Law Office of David Pedrazas, PLLC, guide you through the process.
Attorney for Fathers Rights Salt Lake City, UT.
Schedule a Fathers Rights Case Review at the Law Office Of David Pedrazas, PLLC.
Whether you are a mother or a father, establishing fathers rights in a divorce or child custody case could be important for numerous reasons. Although this can be done when both parents sign and file a Voluntary Declaration of Paternity form with the Department of Health, Vital Records and Statistics, it may be necessary to go about this in a different manner if your case is slightly more contentious.
