Even though it will almost certainly result in some major lifestyle changes and often require an exceptional amount of patience, there is perhaps no more joyous occasion in a person’s life than the birth of a child.
As wonderful as this time can be, however, it can also present certain legal complications, especially for those couples whose children are born outside of marriage.
In particular, those men who can’t wait to assume the role of the doting father may be somewhat shocked to learn that they may be lacking any sort of legal rights to parenting time — or visitation as it is commonly known — until such time as paternity is established.
This can be particularly shocking if the father mistakenly believed that they already had full legal rights given their previous verbal commitment to the child’s mother or the name listed on the birth certificate.
While this is undoubtedly a troubling development, the good news is that fathers in these situations do have enforceable rights under Minnesota law.
Specifically, with the help of an experienced legal professional, these fathers can file a paternity action to establish their parental rights — and obligations — in the eyes of the law.
At Mack & Santana Law Offices, we know how important it is for a child to have both parents maintain a regular presence in the lives of a child, as it means two times the support and, far more importantly, two times the love and support.
Our firm has extensive experience in this area of the law, regularly helping fathers establish their visitation rights and mothers establish their rights to child support.
No matter your situation, no matter your concerns, consider speaking with our highly skilled legal professionals as soon as possible if you would like to learn more about your rights as they relate to paternity proceedings.
