English
EspañolParagraph explaining married parents have equal rights and also usually once paternity is established(couple is separated, mother is keeping child from father)
Generally, legally married parents are assumed to have equal rights to their children so either can legally have the child with him/her. In most states, the same goes for situations where parents are unmarried but the father’s paternity has been legally established. One parent doesn’t necessarily have superior rights to decide when and where the other parent should have a child - the equal rights are assumed unless and until a judge says otherwise. If parents can’t agree, one parent may decide to file for custody or visitation in court. As part of a custody/visitation case, a parent can ask for specific visitation times with his/her child or the parent can file for full or shared custody. Here is a link to our custody page with more information about filing for custody in STATE: LINK You may want to talk to a lawyer to get advice on what your specific rights are and what steps you should take to make sure that you are able to see your child. Here is a link for lawyers, some of which are free or low-cost:LINK As I said, I cannot speak to STATE’s specific state laws so talking to a lawyer who practices law in that state is best.
