Having a child can be the greatest experience of your life. However, what do you do if your daughter’s mother is denying you your parental rights? Since the two of you are not married, will a Nebraska court acknowledge your rights as the father? What can you do if the mother did not list you as the father on the birth certificate?
If you have found yourself in the above situation, you are not alone. Many other fathers have found themselves in similar situations. Fortunately, you do have options available to claim your parental rights. Read below to find out more about establishing paternity in Nebraska.
Reasons to establish paternity
When a married woman gives birth to a child, the state automatically assumes that the husband is the father. However, the woman was not married and did not list the father on the birth certificate, things become a bit more complicated. In order to protect your parental rights, you will have to go through the process of establishing paternity. While this will put you in a position where you will be legally responsible for providing child support and possibly health care coverage for you daughter, it will also provide her with some protections.
When you establish legal paternity, you will protect your child’s rights to inherit your property if you pass. She will have the right to receive any money or property that you include in a will as well as Social Security or Veteran’s benefits you may have been entitled to receive.
Acknowledgement of Paternity
You may be able to establish paternity by signing an Acknowledgement of Paternity form. You must also ensure the document includes a notary seal before you submit it to the Department of Health and Human Services Vital Records Management department. Usually, when a child is born to unwed parents, this form is available at the hospital. However, if you were not present for the birth, you still have options available to establish paternity.
If you believe you have fathered a child and the mother is denying you your parent rights, there are steps you can take to establish paternity. Aside from submitting a notarized Acknowledgement of Paternity form, you can also request a court for genetic testing to prove paternity. Your attorney will be able to help you through the process so that your rights as a father and your child’s rights are protected.