Ben has two children and was never married to the mother. They lived together for many years, but have recently separated. He still wants to be involved in his children's lives, but the mom of the children has denied him visitation and won't allow him to see the children.
Many unmarried fathers wonder if they have child custody rights. Fortunately, unmarried fathers have the same custody ownership as a divorced father. Here are some ways a father can stand up for his custody rights, even if the parents were unmarried.
Child Custody Attorney In Texas
A father has the right to see his children. This is the most basic and needful custody right of a parent. If the mom of the children refuses to give the father visitation, he needs to file for custody with the court. The only way to deal with a situation like this is to take it straight through the permissible legal channels. Unmarried parents can start a custody case with the courts to make sure both parents have a say with the children.
Once the father has filed for child custody, the custody proceeding begins. The father and mom have the occasion to work together to originate a parenting plan and custody agreement. Sometimes, the fact that the father took the custody situation to court is adequate for mothers to want to work out a schedule together. If that's the case, the parents should sit down and make a plan that works for both of them. They can then gift that plan to the court and the court will make it into a custody order. This is a legally binding document and if either parent doesn't ensue the terms and conditions (for example, if the mom still denies the father visitation) they can be held in contempt of court.
If the father and mom are not able to come to an agreement, they may want to reconsider mediation. If mediation doesn't work, the parents should put in order to gift their cases in court. As a father, you have the right to hire an attorney to help you with your case. If you choose to hire a lawyer, hire one who has a good track narrative in court and is very competent. Don't hire a lawyer just because they say they are for father's rights. A lawyer who uses this gimmick probably isn't very good in court. Hire a good lawyer and they will be on your side.
As an unmarried father, you also have the right and accountability to contribute for your children financially and otherwise. This normally means that you pay child withhold to the mother. But, if you are the former caregiver, you could receive child withhold from the mother. If you feel like you are paying too much child support, look at your custody arrangement and schedule in more visitation. Child withhold is based on how much time you have the children. Growth your time and you pay less child support.
Basically, unmarried parents have the same custody ownership as divorced parents. As a father, you have custody and visitation rights. Stand up for those ownership so you can be involved in your children's lives.
Unmarried Parents - A Father's Child Custody rights