Child Custody

questions & answers

Question: My son was born last year, i am on his birth certificate but i am not married to the birth mother. What are my rights to my son? Show low police said i have no rights to him unless we were married. Please tell me thats not true

Answer: If at the hospital you and the mother of your child signed a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity then you have established paternity. If you have not then you will need to establish paternity either by signing the form which can be obtained at your local office of vital records or you can establish paternity through the court system. You can handle this entirely on your own, but it might be wise to speak with a lawyer and find out the best way to go about establishing your rights. There are 3 programs in Arizona that you can use to get some inexpensive legal advice and guidance.  One is the Modest Means Program.  For a $75.00 fee, the Modest Means Program will arrange a one hour consult with an experienced attorney.  The telephone number is (866) 637-5341. Both the Maricopa County Bar Association and the Pima County Bar Association have lawyer referral services that offer a 30 minute consult with an experienced attorney.  Maricopa County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 30 minute consultation for a fee of $40.00. The telephone number is (602) 257-4434.  Pima County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 30 minute consultation for a fee of $35.00.  The telephone number is (520) 623-4625.