As a father, you have certain legal rights in regards to the well-being of your child. If you are going through a divorce, you may need to hire a New York City fathers' rights attorney to enforce those rights for you. If you and the mother were married when the child was conceived, you will be assumed as the father. If not, paternity will need to be established before you can proceed. In a child custody case, the father has the following rights and obligations:
To financially provide for the child.
To pursue and maintain a relationship with the child.
Rights to custody and/or parenting time (visitation).
To decide on factors involving the child’s life, like relocation and school choice.
To parent and discipline your child.
To have access to the child’s medical records.
Though these are your rights as a father, it may be difficult to exert them in some divorce cases. If you have a history of absence in the child’s life you don’t have the same rights as a father who was present. If you cannot provide for your child or have a strong history of abuse or neglect, you will not be awarded custody. Additionally, noncustodial parents are not allowed to manipulate visitation rights. For example, if a noncustodial parent is not able to see a child as much as he or she would like, he or she is not legally able to stop paying child support.