Thousands of men in Michigan every year become new fathers without the automatic protection provided by marriage. Married men enjoy a presumption of paternity that sees their automatic inclusion on a child’s birth certificate.
Unmarried fathers do not have a presumption of paternity. Instead, they must establish paternity with the state to assert their rights as a parent. After a break up with the mother of a child, a father may have to go to court to request parental authority and parenting time. Before they can take that step, they must first affirm their paternity to the state. The following are the standard ways for men to establish paternity in Michigan.
Signing documents at the hospital
A large percentage of unmarried fathers have their names included on the birth certificate right away. They are present with the mother during the labor and delivery process. Therefore, they can fill out paternity paperwork at the hospital ensuring their name is on the birth certificate. Fathers who establish paternity at birth have fewer steps to take when they want to assert their parental rights later.
Cooperating with the mother while the child is young
At any point while a child is still a minor, unmarried parents can add the father’s name to the child’s birth certificate. They do so by executing voluntary paperwork acknowledging the man’s paternity. Both parents must sign the documents, and they must submit the paperwork to the state. Doing so leads to the addition of the man’s name to the birth certificate. The parents can then potentially cooperate to establish a custody arrangement through mutual agreement.
Requesting genetic testing
Sometimes, unusual circumstances make establishing paternity more difficult. A messy breakup or confusion about who the father actually is may prevent a mother from voluntarily acknowledging the father. In such scenarios, men do still have rights. They can attest in court that they believe they are the father of the child and can ask the courts to order genetic testing. If the test establishes a clear genetic link between the father and the child, then the man can move forward with a formal request in family court seeking an allocation of parental rights and responsibilities.
Establishing paternity is a necessary step for unmarried fathers hoping to obtain shared custody. Fathers who establish paternity can more effectively protect their rights and give their children important clarity about their family history.