Filing for Child Custody by Unmarried Parents

When a child is born to unwed parents, most states have the standard practice to award sole custody of the child to the mother. The mother is automatically granted all rights as a parent, including where the child will live, what schools the child will attend, and has full authority to make all medical decisions.

It is very rare for the child’s father to be granted automatic sole custody when he is not wed to the mother. The father would have to show that the child would not be cared for properly or is in danger if it remains with the mother.

However, when the mother has been given sole custody, the father can still take steps to secure partial custody and visitation rights. To do this, he would need to speak with an OKC child custody attorney.

Fathers Have Rights Too

It is important to remember that a father has rights, even if he is not married to the mother. A father has the right to spend time and interact with his child. He also has the right to partake in the decision making process concerning important areas of the child’s life.

To ensure that the father has access to his child and that he can have a say in that child’s upbringing, he will need to contact an OKC child custody attorney. His attorney can help him establish these rights and compel the mother to allow him access to his child.

Not every relationship ends up in a marriage. However, this does not disqualify the father from being an active part of his child’s life. If you are a man who needs to secure his rights as a father, you are encouraged to speak with an