What rights does a father have to his child in the state of FL if not married?
Can my son’s mother keep me from seeing him? We were never married but he has my last name and my name is on the birth certificate. We have lived together since before he was born and he is 8 now. I have said that I want to separate from her and she has threatened to keep our son from me. I have always been there for my son, financially and otherwise, and have every intention of continuing to be in his life. I don’t intend to fight for sole custody as I believe our son should be with his mother (she is a good mother) but would like partial. What, if any, rights do I have considering we are not married? I appreciate any help on this matter. Sarasota, FL ANSWER: Generally speaking, when a man’s name is on a birth certificate it creates a legal presumption of paternity. If an unwed father has a fear that his rights may not be protected in the event of a separation then he should file a Petition to establish paternity and related relief with the court. This process will establish the legal
