Site Navigation

Divorce Attorneys & Family Lawyers
St. Louis Family Law Firm

GET YOUR FREE CONSULTATION

O Fallon Father’s Rights Attorney

Having a strong and healthy relationship with children can improve the lives of both the parents and their children. However, if you are a father who is not in a relationship or living with the mother of your child, it can be hard to build the relationship that you want to have with your children.

father's rights and paternity attorney

In certain situations, unmarried mothers have the full authority and responsibility for their children unless or until the father of the child chooses or is forced by the court to be involved in the child’s affairs.

Either parent can request paternity proceedings. The father can request legal acknowledgment as the rightful parent of the child and provide financial support to the child to get access to their children and share parenting time with the mother. Meanwhile, the mother can request paternity proceedings to establish a child’s parentage and get the proper financial aid from the father to provide for their child’s needs.

At Davis and Associates, Attorneys at Law, you can get the legal advice and guidance of our O Fallon father’s rights lawyers to understand how the paternity process works and how your rights can be recognized. We will be very thorough in ensuring that you understand your rights as a father and assist you in building your case so you can have access to your child and build a relationship with them.

Call Davis and Associates, Attorneys at Law at (618) 323-3831 for your Free Consultation with a O Fallon Father’s Rights attorney!

Establishing Father’s Rights

Several statutes protect father’s rights in Missouri, but their rights are only recognized legally if paternity is acknowledged by the courts.

father and son child custody

Fathers must first take several steps to establish a legal relationship with their children. First is by showing their willingness to become a responsible parent. They must also establish their paternity through a DNA paternity test or by mutual agreement between both parents. DNA paternity tests are often requested or ordered by the courts if one or both parents doubt the father’s biological connection to the child.

Even after you have been legally recognized as the child’s father, you still won’t be able to enjoy the rights married parents have with their children. You must show willingness to parent by following child support payment schedules and actively participating in your child’s life.

Once you have established both your paternity and your willingness to take responsibility for your child, we can help you develop and enforce a time-sharing and custody plan with the child’s mother and petition the court to approve it.

The Importance of Legally Protecting Your Relationship

A father can seek to have a relationship with their children whenever they wish and not get the courts involved. They can speak to the mother of the child and agree on a plan through an informal agreement. This is often the arrangement made by unmarried parents who are still unsure if they will get married or live together.

However, without a court recognizing the agreement, the mother of the child can easily deny the father access to or communication with their children without giving a reason for it. They have the right to deny you access to your children.

Our father’s rights attorneys at Davis and Associates, Attorneys at Law will become your legal support and protect your rights to have a loving relationship with your children regardless of your relationship status with their mother.

Divorced Father’s Rights

Like unmarried fathers, divorced fathers will have to face a lot of issues brought about by child custody and child support. However, they are considered and assumed as the biological parent of the couple’s shared children, removing the need to test their paternity.

man watching family sunset

If the father shows that they are eager to build a positive relationship with their children and are ready to provide them with their needs, it improves the child’s outlook. Divorce usually causes children to ask a lot of questions about their future, especially with their parents. But, if parents show that their relationship with the children will not be lost despite the divorce, it will give the children a sense of security as they try to transition into this new phase in life.

Our O Fallon father’s rights lawyers are always ready to provide you with legal support and representation as you undergo divorce proceedings. From sorting out your assets to devising a suitable custody plan that meets your requirements, we aim to give you and your children a workable plan that will not damage your relationship after the divorce proceedings.

Contesting Established Paternity

There are very rare yet heartbreaking cases when fathers, who already see a child as their own, finds out that there is a reason to question if they are the biological father of their child. Other cases involve a man being named the father of a child, but there is a question if that claim is valid.

father and child

Whether you are questioning your role as the rightful father of the child or are interested in disproving it, Davis and Associates, Attorneys at Law can provide you with the legal assistance necessary to find the truth. For those who deny their paternity because they assert they were not in a relationship with the mother of the child, the court can order a paternity test to end the dispute.

Meanwhile, those who have already acted as the father figure to a child but now doubt the child’s biological parentage face a difficult battle. While the child in question is not at fault for their mother’s action, their lives will change forever if you renounce your paternity. Courts try their best not to leave children fatherless, even if it is confirmed that their “father” is not their biological parent.

Our lawyers help you calmly sort out this complex issue. If you discovered that your child is not your biological child or if you were named as the parent of a child you believe is not yours, our experienced attorneys would help you make the right choices throughout the paternity case.

Let’s Talk Now – Free Consultation

O Fallon Father's Rights Attorney Davis LogoOur O Fallon, MO family law firm believes that fathers should have a chance to build a strong and loving relationship with their children, even if they are not married to or living with the child’s mother.

Our O Fallon father’s rights lawyers are always motivated to help any parent wishing to build a strong, loving relationship with their minor children. Let us know what you need, and we’ll be on the case.

Call Davis and Associates, Attorneys at Law at (618) 323-3831 for your Free Consultation with a O Fallon Father’s Rights attorney!