Unmarried Fathers and Mothers and Child Support

If the father of your baby signed a paternity acknowledgment in the hospital, he is considered the baby’s father. So, now what if he wants to take the baby to the lake and you do not think it is safe? Can he take the baby? The short answer is no, not unless he has gone to court to establish his parental rights, has a parenting schedule set and child support established. The mother has all the legal rights to a child if she is unmarried and the father has not gone to court to get his rights announced or enforced. What if you do not want to go to court? Then you will not have a court order. Can we put our agreements on paper? Yes, that would be a very good idea, most likely with the help of a family law attorney. A paper agreement is not a court order but it can be used as evidence in a future court battle if you cannot agree. You should consider consulting with an experienced family law attorney. You could easily give up rights that you do not intend to give up if you are not informed and you do not know your legal rights. Child support is modifiable upon certain circumstances.