Many parents in Arkansas want to be involved in their child’s upbringing. However, the relationship between the mother and the father this is not always possible and in many cases, parents need to split custody between themselves. Often this is the case with unmarried couples and couples who have been through a divorce.
In these situations, fathers can be at a disadvantage. Unlike mothers, a father does not have automatic rights to a child if the child is born out of wedlock. In these cases, a dad must take proactive steps to gain some child custody rights over the child. The mother, on the other hand, is automatically entitled to these rights.
Therefore, the father must often initiate a paternity action in order to gain access to the child. In a paternity action, the father’s identity is legally established. This is often done through the use of a paternity test. This important step allows a father to become more actively involved in a child’s life. However, it is not the only step in the process.
Fathers need to go a step further. In fact, they need to take specific legal steps in order to seek child custody. Once paternity is established, the child custody portion of the proceedings can begin.
When the father wants to be an active part of a child’s life, it can be frustrating that this process has to be undertaken. However, these frustrations can be lessened with the help of an attorney. An attorney, like those at Worsham Law Firm, P.A., can help to walk the father through this delicate process. With our help, fathers can gain access to the child that they desperately seek.
Being a dad is very important to many men throughout the state of Arkansas. When men want to protect their fathers’ rights, seeking advice from an attorney is essential. For more information about paternity suits and our law firm, please see our paternity webpage.
