What Rights Does an Unmarried Father Have?
When a child is born to unwed parents, not only the mother but also the father retains certain legal rights to the child. While every state has different laws regarding the rights of unwed parents, most states have similar laws. After being declared as the father of the child, the father gains all of the rights of a married father. However, in order for the unwed father to exercise his rights regarding the child, it is necessary that he be established as the child’s father. Status of Father It is necessary for an unmarried father to meet his jurisdiction’s definition of a father. All states have statutory definitions of a father. Examples include a man who is listed on the child’s birth certificate; a man holding himself out to be the child’s father and living with the mother and child; a man who has been determined by the court to be the child’s father; a man who is referenced in an affidavit by the mother indicating that he is the child’s father; and a man who has filed for paternity
