I was wondering if there is any law regarding this issue. A buddy of mine received an anonymous email from someone saying that his ex-girlfriend who suddenly moved back to her hometown just over two years ago is raising his baby and chose not to tell him that she was ever pregnant. He is an absolute wreck and is wondering if this is legal. The baby is over a year and he feels cheated out of not having been a part of her life in such an important time. Is it legal for a woman to keep the fact that he is a father from the father of the baby?
2007-09-08 16:22:57 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Other - Pregnancy & Parenting
Morally wrong, not legally wrong. So unfortunate she chose to raise their daughter solo. He can ask her for a DNA and establish paternity, but that may be difficult. Recommend he research family court lawyers online and at the local law library.
2007-09-08 16:31:31 · answer #1 · answered by ♥♥JDub♥♥ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A friend of mine was in this same situation. As far as I know, there is no law that says a woman must tell the biological father she is pregnant.
In my friend's situation, his girlfriend left him a month before the baby was born. She claimed on the paper work that the father was unknown. She then gave the child up for adoption. My friend finally found out about 3 months after the baby had been born. There was nothing he could do since a legal adoption had already taken place. He had no rights what so ever and will never know where his child is or meet her.
I agree that there needs to be some law in place to protect fathers from these situations.
2007-09-08 19:05:46 · answer #2 · answered by GoldfishPond 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would say it is legal on this issue. Since she could easily say she didnt know he was the father. So many people go for years and never know their father and one day find out. Is it legal i would say yes is it moral i would say no. Now if she was getting him for child support after not telling him for that many years i would fight the back pay of this child support.
Plus whos to say the kid is really his?
Also another reason why i think it is legal since a women not married can get an abortion even if the father doesnt want her to! But if they are married i do believe he has to sign something as well.
Also since he never signed any birth certificates or an affidavit admitting paternity at the hospital (since he didnt know) i think it would be legal. There is no law stating that a women must have a male sign those documents at the time of birth.
With those issues addressed i think 98% sure that it was legal for her to do it. Which sucks cuz i would be heart broken as well.
2007-09-08 16:42:19 · answer #3 · answered by Michael 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The laws vary from state to state. You could contact a lawyer or legal aid or a fathers support group for some guidance on how to handle the legal issues and to see if your state is one where he can make a paternity claim. Fathers rights groups usually focus on how the courts slight the fathers in custody issues.
If the mother gets any state assistance they will make her name the father so the state can go after him for child support.
The child may be a toddler now but there are over 16 more years of childhood and potential parenting. Good luck to you however it works out.
2007-09-12 12:55:52 · answer #4 · answered by ??IMAGINE ?? 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i do think if they find out and they are truly the father i think they can get you for something legally. so it would be best to tell him but you know what. there should be support since the kidi shis. i mean this is fair for the child it takes two parents to do anything and raising them whether by money or whatever its supposet o be together but not always that way but yes its wrong not to say and keep it from them.
2007-09-12 15:17:34 · answer #5 · answered by Tsunami 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No no legal obiligation unless she wants child support or something.
Your friend however can take her to court and sue for a paternity test to be done, though take into consideration the reason that she didn't say anything to him is it might not be his and just b/c they were together doesn't mean shedidn't cheat.
2007-09-09 01:05:34 · answer #6 · answered by his wife 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, no-one legally has to tell the father that he is the father of he rchild, it is her descision, if he knows about it i would say to let her know that he knows, so that things can progress from there, if its an annomonous email, it could be fake, good luck :D
2007-09-12 01:49:02 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
a law like that might change state to state, but im sure he can file something with a court to find out if the child is his, legaly she will have to put the baby up for testing.
2007-09-08 16:31:47 · answer #8 · answered by Annie 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
completly legal she does not have to tell him she can even tell someone else if they are.
He needs to file a court order for paternit then can file a custody arrangement. It will be will be hard because she is another city
2007-09-09 10:30:43 · answer #9 · answered by Big Daddy R 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. my husband is a perfect example his mother was abused by his father "Tom". She divorced and left him, then found out she was pregnant. She got with her current husband "Randy". My husband was born and they got married. He has "Randy's" last name but 25 years later Tom still doesn't know my Husband is his child. That was her final F-U to him for abusing her.
2007-09-08 17:18:31 · answer #10 · answered by Angel 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋