No matter if two parents have been married or not, the father of a child has rights that should be protected. At Kulinsky & Associates Ltd, we understand the struggles a man may face as he is trying to establish child custody or visitation. There are legal measures a father can take to maintain his interests as well as the best interests of the child.
For many people, the first step in the process is to establish paternity. According to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, the following methods may be used in a child custody case:
- Genetic testing
- Signing a voluntary acknowledgement at the hospital when the child is born
- Signing a voluntary acknowledgement at the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services
Once paternity has been ascertained, a father can fight for a number of rights through a divorce or other legal battle. Fathers may be entitled to child custody, visitation and child support.
It may come as a surprise for people to hear that there are many fathers who receive child support. In fact, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that more than 760,000 custodial fathers received payments in 2011, the most recent year for which data was available.
It is important for children to have a strong and lasting relationship with their father when possible. At Kulinsky & Associates Ltd, we know that determining a fair plan for co-parenting is key to helping fathers maintain that bond.
For more information on this topic, please visit our page on father’s rights in a paternity case.