Joint Parental Rights

[Sara55]

My question involves a child custody case from the State of: me and my partner broke up when I was 4 months pregnant. He now has decided he wants to apply for parental rights anybody help me on what I can do about this?

[Mr. Knowitall]

You can do whatever is permitted by the laws of whatever state you're in, based upon whether this is a divorce, paternity case, or custody litigation with paternity previously established, and can negotiate an outcome or go to trial and present whatever facts you have to support whatever custody arrangement you are requesting in lieu of the one your ex- is seeking.

[Sara55]

We was not married and he is not on the birth certificate. So how can he apply for it and can I do anything to stop him?

[Dogmatique]

Where are you located?

No - you can't stop him, if you're located in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and most of Europe, from obtaining parental rights if he's actually the father.

[Sara55]

Based in England. What can be done about it then?

[Dogmatique]

This forum is for US law only.

BUT - you got lucky, and managed to catch someone who does know something about UK law.

Seriously - if he wants parental rights and access, he's GOING TO GET IT. If you didn't want that, you didn't have to carry the pregnancy to term. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but he's allowed to dump you mid-pregnancy and then come back even years later and be allowed to parent your mutual child.

Time to accept that and face reality. You're going to be co-parenting for some time to come.