Being a father is one of the most fulfilling experiences in life. Dads in Alabama usually do their very best to stay actively involved and engaged in their children’s lives, and for some this includes paying child support, sharing child custody or getting parenting time rights. Before you can do any of this, you have to establish paternity first.
Since you were not married to your child’s mother, you have to definitively demonstrate that you are his or her biological father. This is usually best done sooner rather than later. With paternity established and your legal rights in order, you can more easily create a loving relationship with your child.
But it is not too late to establish paternity if your child is older, maybe already in middle or even high school. Maybe you did not think establishing paternity was necessary because you and your child’s mother worked well together. But what if she suddenly decides to limit contact or even wants to move far away? Without established paternity, you cannot exercise your parental rights to preserve your relationship.
There is no guarantee that you will always have access to your child unless you assert your parental rights by establishing paternity. This will help both you and your child in a number of ways. In Alabama, you can preserve or even create a meaningful relationship through custody and taking advantage of regularly scheduled parenting time, and any child support you might pay will help provide essential financial stability to his or her life. Our website has additional information about paternity, child custody and support that you may find helpful for your situation.
