It is the right of the father of a child to have visitation and custody rights , whether or not you were present at the time of the birth of your child. Perhaps your wife kept the baby a secret after the divorce, or you had a sexual relationship with another woman and she never told you about becoming present. Whatever the case may be, if you learn that you are the biological father to a child, you have the opportunity to pursue legal measures in order to protect your rights as a father.
The first step of this process is establishing paternity of your child. This can be done in a simple process by obtaining permission from the other parent receiving permission and then you will both have DNA tests done. This process may be simple, though if the biological mother puts up a fight, there is a possibility litigation will be one of the steps. After your biological relationship has been established with your child, our will then be able to pursue rights to custody or visitation.
Entirely depending on your specific situation, you may be able to reach a parenting agreement with the mother of the child, in order to list out the details regarding your new rights as a parent. In the event you are unable to agree on terms, or they are completely fighting your being involved in the life of the child, you may seek a court order in order to obtain your rights. The court will want to focus on whatever is in the best interest of the children rather than the dispute between the two parents. And if they feel that the child will benefit from having the father in their life then there is a possibility time with the child will be awarded.
If you are looking to fight for fathers' rights, contact the Hopper Law Firm today for a trusted Raleigh divorce attorney who will help you fight for whatever your family legal needs may be!