Fathers' Rights Attorneys in Granite Bay, California

Shielding Fathers’ Rights Throughout California

Historically, mothers were often given primary custody of their children because society believed they were better equipped to care for them. However, societal beliefs have adapted, triggering changes in child custody laws that mandate fathers be given the same rights as mothers. Yet, in some cases, these rights may need to be protected, particularly in cases in which a child is born and the paternity of the child is in question. It is automatically assumed that the husband is the father when a baby is born to married parents. However, when there is no legal relationship, such as in cases of the birth of a child to an unmarried mother, the father may have to establish paternity before being able to have rights to his child.

Establishing Paternity

A Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity is a document that a father may choose to sign after the birth of a child when he is not married to the mother. This document publicly states that the person signing the affidavit is the child’s father. However, if the mother of your child is creating unreasonable providing obstacles and denying you the ability to access your child, we can negotiate or take legal action on your behalf. The establishment of paternity through genetic testing can be necessary to get the issue resolved through the court.

Protecting your rights as a father can be a crucial issue in many cases. The mother may not want to share custody and may not have named a father when the child was born. We can help you establish paternity through either a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity or a DNA test. If you need to take a paternity test or take legal action to protect your rights as a father, contact a Roseville divorce lawyer for assistance.

Parental Rights

Once paternity is established, you may be able to pursue your parental rights, including the following:

• Arrange a custody agreement to see your child

• Actively participate in decisions regarding your child's education, religion, and healthcare

• Protest the other parent's request to relocate to a new location

• Modify a child support or child custody order

Quality Legal Services to Protect Your Parental Rights

An experienced lawyer from Herrig, Vogt & Hensley, LLP can help you establish paternity and your rights as a father in court. Our legal team has almost 100 years of combined legal experience and is very familiar with the legal processes necessary to protect fathers’ rights, paternity, and other crucial issues surrounding child custody, child support, and visitation. We have helped many fathers establish their paternity and gain the right to play a meaningful role in their child’s life. If you need to establish paternity or need help with fathers' rights, contact a Roseville fathers' rights lawyer for a free case review.

Contact us online or call us to learn more about your paternity rights.