Father's Rights Family Law Attorney

Helping Dads Fight for Their Legal Rights

If you are a father going through a divorce or need to establish paternity, you may need clarification on what steps you can take to protect your legal rights.

Unfortunately, fathers all too often make the critical mistake of trying to deal with the family court system independently.

Family law issues can be complex, and emotions tend to run high as mothers and fathers try to resolve their legal disputes.

If you are a father who needs assistance with a child support or custody issue, you must hire an experienced attorney who knows what it takes to get results.

Our attorneys have extensive experience handling family law legal matters and will fight to protect your parental rights.

Contact Lawrence Law Office of Columbus, OH, to schedule a free initial consultation with a father’s rights attorney who can assess your case and determine what legal strategies suit your needs.

How Can a Father Establish Paternity if Not Married to the Child’s Mother?

One of the most common questions many unmarried fathers ask is how to establish paternity. Under Ohio law, fathers not married to a child’s mother do not have legal rights.

Instead, paternity must be established for the father to be able to exercise their rights. Once paternity has been determined, the father’s name may be placed on the birth certificate.

Ohio has three legal provisions that allow fathers to establish paternity, which include:

• Sign a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity: A voluntary acknowledgment must be signed by both parents and notarized. The form may be signed at the hospital, child support agency, or local health department.

• Genetic testing: Individuals may petition Ohio courts to request genetic testing. Once the DNA is submitted, paternity may be decided based on the test results.

• Request assistance from a local child support agency: The child support agency may help establish paternity issues by ordering genetic testing to determine the child’s biological father.

If you need further clarification regarding establishing paternity in Ohio, contact Lawrence Law Office to schedule a meeting with a knowledgeable father’s rights lawyer who can answer your questions.

What Rights Do Ohio Fathers Have Once Paternity is Established?

Establishing paternity is about far more than having your name on your child’s birth certificate. Once you take the legal strides to make it known that you are your child’s father, you may be curious about what your actual paternal rights are.

One of the most important rights you gain is equal footing in court. Being the child’s parent is no longer in question, meaning the courts are going to treat you like a parent and not an interested party. Courts are gender neutral once paternity is confirmed.

The judge’s priority is the best interest of the child, and now that you are a confirmed parent, you are part of the equation, and your inclusion is necessary for the best interest of your child.

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As a parent, you can now pursue custody. If you become your child’s custodial parent, you can then pursue child support from your child’s other parent. You can also get court backing when trying to enforce their child support obligations. Even if you don’t become the custodial parent, you now have the right to fair parenting time.

Your child’s other parent will not be able to deny your visitation rights, and doing so could land them in serious trouble with the courts. When coming up with a parenting plan, the courts will want your input on coming up with a fair schedule.

As a dad, you have just as much right to access important records regarding your child. Medical records, education reports, anything that has to do with your child. You also have a right to be included when making important decisions regarding your children’s lives.

You have a say in their medical treatment, religious upbringing, education, and any other important decisions. Your child’s other parent can not exclude you from these and other decisions.

If you don’t think the current visitation or custody arrangements are fair, you have the right to petition the courts for a modification. This is especially useful when you believe your child’s other parent is not handling things right or your child’s safety is at risk.

Establishing paternity is only the beginning. Once it’s done, you have every right to fight for custody, parenting time, and a strong presence in your child’s upbringing.

Can an Unmarried Father Get Full Custody?

Your marital status does not matter when it comes to important decisions regarding your children’s lives, including custody. Unfortunately, as a father, the process is somewhat stacked against you. In Ohio, if you’re not married to your child’s mother, she initially gets sole custody.

That doesn’t mean you’re automatically out of luck. Once you establish paternity, you can file in court for custody or shared parenting.

It doesn’t matter if you are married. It is not required that you have a woman in your life in order to raise your children. Whatever rights your child’s mother has, so do you.

What is Parental Alienation?

Parental alienation involves one parent doing or saying things about the other parent to discredit them or turn the child against them. Sadly, many fathers find themselves dealing with parental alienation issues when their relationship with the child’s other parent comes to a close.

In some instances, naïve alienation occurs when one parent makes remarks or argues with the other in front of the child.

Nevertheless, depending on the circumstances and gravity of the situation, fathers who have experienced the effects of parental alienation may be able to pursue child abuse charges against the other parent and request a change in child custody.

Some common types of parental alienation include:

• Active alienation: When one parent purposely acts in a manner to destroy the child’s relationship with the other parent. Examples include withholding the child even with a custody agreement in place, telling lies about the other parent, or using manipulation for personal gain.

• Obsessive alienation: Obsessive alienation may occur when one parent uses other family members to alienate their child from the other parent. In most instances, obsessive alienation stems from one parent being angered to the point that they will do anything possible to try and hurt or turn the child against the other parent.

If you are a father suffering the unwanted consequences of parental alienation, contact our Columbus, OH, law office and ask to schedule a consultation so that we may determine what legal options may be available.

What Happens If the Mother Violates a Custody or Visitation Order?

Child custody cases where you have been granted custody or visitation rights are not just a suggestion; they’re court-ordered. If your child’s other parent is refusing to let you see your child, or they picked up your child for their visitation and they’re now refusing to let you see them, it’s time to get the courts involved.

This is not something you should attempt to fix on your own terms. Don’t make threats or try to physically get your child back. Don’t even let them know you’re talking to your attorney, which you should. Instead, document everything.

Show your messages where you’ve been trying to get your visitation time. Show time stamps that prove the other parent has overstepped their visitation time. When you inform the court of the issue, they will step in and enforce the order. If the other parent still refuses to comply, they could end up seeing the inside of a jail cell.

Don’t Withhold Child Support

If you only hear one thing, hear this: do not, under any circumstances, stop paying your court-ordered child support. Don’t think you can stop making your payments as a punishment for withheld parenting time.

The courts view custody arrangements and support as separate legal issues, and you won’t be doing yourself any favors by getting in just as much legal trouble.

What If You Are Accused of Abuse?

Unfortunately, this happens more often than it should. Certain people know that they can sway how law enforcement, the courts, and even a person’s own family’s opinions are when it comes to physical, mental, or emotional abuse.

If you are falsely accused of these or other heinous crimes, the first thing you need to do is remain calm. It is easy to get angry and feel like you need to set the record straight. Don’t worry; the record will not only be set straight, but the people making these false accusations could even face criminal charges.

When you are being accused of abuse, or you believe someone is spreading rumors about abuse, it’s time to document everything. Conversations are no longer done one-on-one. Every time, back-and-forths must be done by text or email.

Not even phone calls are okay. If they call you, tell them to message you and then hang up. Don’t spend any effort trying to convince them that what they are doing is wrong or a lie; just collect all correspondence as it comes in. If they try to spark a conversation about it, stop talking with them.

Contact a Fathers Rights Law Firm

Next, call 614-810-4124 to speak with an experienced Columbus father’s rights lawyer. We are on your side, and we won’t stand around while your name is dragged through the dirt. We will make sure you are known as the good person you are, both in public and in court.

Are Mothers Automatically Awarded Child Custody?

There is a common misconception among many Ohio residents that mothers are always awarded child custody. However, Ohio courts thoroughly evaluate various factors to determine who should have child custody and how parenting time should be awarded.

Some of the factors considered in determining child custody in Ohio include:

• Each parent’s desire for custody.

• The child’s wishes with regard to which parent they want to live with.

• The physical and mental health of each parent.

• The ability of each individual to effectively co-parent with one another.

• Investigate to determine if there has been a prior history of domestic violence or child abuse on the part of their parent.

• The financial ability of each parent to adequately provide for the child’s needs.

• The relationships with each parent, siblings, and others who share a close bond with the child.

• The child’s performance in school and relationship with the community.

However, each case is different, and the court’s decision may also vary depending on the circumstances of the case.

Lawrence Law Office has fathers’ rights lawyers who will act as your legal advocate to ensure that your rights are legally protected and that you can maintain a quality relationship with your child.

What Makes Your Father’s Rights Lawyers the Best Choice to Help Me With My Legal Needs?

Lawrence Law Office is a law firm dedicated to helping fathers obtain their legal rights. Our team of legal professionals recognizes that our clients are seeking a father’s rights lawyer who can achieve quick and favorable results.

Our attorneys have in-depth experience helping fathers protect their rights and ability to maintain relationships with their children.

It does not matter whether you are a father who needs help with visitation matters, establishing paternity, or spousal support issues. Our law firm can provide you with the quality legal representation you need for peace of mind.

Reach out to Us Today

Contact Lawrence Law Office in Columbus, OH, by calling and asking to schedule a free case evaluation with a qualified legal team member who can advise you of your legal options.