Single Mothers Legal Rights are sure to catch your attention. It’s happened. Something you never thought would happen before. You are raising your children on your own. Something that will be running through your mind will be legal rights for single mothers.
Maybe you left an abusive situation or your spouse left you. Your number one priority is to keep your children safe and to make sure they are protected. As a disclaimer, it’s important to know that each country and state is different. What applies to one situation, may not always apply to another. If you ever are questioning what your single rights are in your particular situation, then it’s time to seek the advice of a lawyer. If we talk about specific states, like we take example of Arizona, there is certainly Help for Single Mothers in Arizona and this may include legal help too.
Unmarried Laws
Marriage still has a lot of say in the legal world today. Unmarried fathers really do not have as many rights as mothers. Since the mother is caring the child and often nurses the child; it’s really hard to just say “here you go, you can have the baby.” Mothers do hand over rights to fathers, but most of the immediate rights go to the mother, after the baby is born. Of course, if it’s suspected that the mother is a danger to the child, then these rights are non-permissible.
Custody of Your Child
A mother should never have to worry about her child being taken away from her. Unless there is a binding legal issue, then a mother does not have to worry about her children being taken away. That’s why there are laws put into place, so that both parents are protected. In some states, you cannot leave the state without telling the other parent. If you are wed or unwed, the same rights apply because you are the mother after all. Keep in mind that the legal rights of single mothers can still be complicated and are not always black and white. You may want to look at our books section also where we have reviews of books like Becoming Whole Again After Divorce, which covers various aspects of life of single mothers and you may be able to identify those with your current status.
Right to Raise Your Child
Single mothers legal rights extend into the home. You have the right to raise your child the way you see fit. As long as you are not harming your child, depriving or hurting them, then you can raise them in the region or location that you want. There is not a legal team behind your back trying to figure out your next move. If there is no father in the picture, then really you have no one to consult. However, there are some single mothers who still have to deal with a father in the picture (which isn’t a bad thing.). Legally, you have the right to raise your child as you see fit. Raising your children as a single mother does not mean your life has to stop. And if your kids are growing up then you can also get some good insights from our Tips for Raising Teens page.
Right to Child Support
Unless a single mother opts out of asking for child support, then she should know that she can legally go for it. Child support is a form of monetary help from the father of the child. Child support is usually court ordered if the father refuses to pay. Often, child support is the one source of monetary income that helps a single mother make ends meet.