Are you an unwed mother? No judgment is being passed here, but you may be wondering what unwed mothers rights are. In an age where people are passing off marriage and having babies, there has to be some type of law put into place to protect the child and the mother. If you are raising a child on your own, you are probably wondering where to get help.
Although your husband may be out of the picture for now, he may decide to show his face sooner or later down the road. Knowing what your rights are is therefore highly important.
Now days a father’s name cannot be put on the birth certificate unless he is present at the hospital. If paternity is not established at the hospital, then it has to be established through another process. Also Tax-Related identity theft is also becoming rather rampant, so one needs to be particular cautious about this too.
Unwed Mothers Custody Rights
It’s pretty common sense that a mother who gives birth to her child would have sole custody of that child. Most states make it that way, anyway. In other states, the mother has “initial” custody and not necessarily “sole custody.” You should know that custody battles are known to get pretty ugly in some parts of the world. Each state is so different and it’s wise to read up on associated law in your state. So, if you’re not married and you have children, there are a few laws you need to pay attention to. This is something you would want to educate yourself on. Even if we talk about state programs e.g. the ones under Help for Single Mothers in Arkansas, there would be provision of some or the other legal assistance which single moms can benefit from.
Unwed Mothers Legal Rights
What are your legal rights as an unwed mother? Can the father just come in and snatch up the baby from your arms? No, this is not possible. There are laws to protect you as single mother, raising a child on your own. There are several states that say there is no question as to who has custody of a child after he/she is born. That means the mother has the legal right to raise the child how she sees fit. In some cases, the father does want in a partial custody. This can be determined through a mediator or through the courts. If a father wants to be a part of his child’s life badly enough, then he should be willing to go through a legal process.
- Child Support – An unwed mother has the right to child support from the father. Contact your local child support enforcement agency, if you have any questions.
- Custodial Interference – An unwed mother should never have to worry about her child not being returned to her. In case this happens, there are laws to protect the child and the mother.
- Birth certificate-If you are ever questioned as to whether or not you actually have custody of your children, you may need proof. In some cases a birth certificate is enough proof.
Unwed mothers rights really do depend on where you live. Please do not take this article as legal advice – deem this for information purposes only. If you would like more information on the rights of an unwed mother, than please visit your state’s website or contact an attorney. There is a great book “Less Really Can Be a Whole Lot More” which can give you handy tips on getting over peculiar day-to-day situations.