Father’s Rights

Learning that the child you've loved and supported as your own is not biologically yours is a painful and heartbreaking betrayal. As you come to terms with this new reality, you might wonder what the future holds for you, the child and their mother. Did the mother...

Neglecting to stay current on child support payments can have severe consequences. In fact, failing to meet child support obligations can result in license suspension and affect a parent's ability to drive. Losing a license can disrupt different parts of a parent’s...

Having a child outside of marriage is becoming increasingly common. In Tennessee, about 40% of children are born to unmarried mothers. However, this situation can make it difficult for an unmarried father to exercise his rights over his child. Because the state does...

Parents would want to be part of their child’s growth and development, even if the mother and father’s relationship no longer works. But not all parents inherently possess parental rights and responsibilities. If you were legally married when your child was born, you...

Single fathers in Tennessee face many challenges and difficulties as they strive to be good parents. These are four common issues they face. Child Support System Difficulties Research shows that over 50% of parents who are supposed to pay child support fall below the...

It might seem logical that paternity is automatically established when a child is born. However, it must be officially established, whether a Tennessee father is seeking to protect his parental rights, or a mother is seeking to ensure financial support for the child....

Unwed fathers in Tennessee have rights to their children. There are certain steps that are important to take when a father wants to get custody of his child. Establishing paternity If a child is born to unwed parents, the mother automatically gets custody. The father,...

When unmarried couples have a child, Tennessee courts presume the father has no biological relation to the newborn. Unmarried parents do have the same rights as legally married couples. The major difference is, paternity needs establishing before a parent can fight...

If a father wants to accept responsibility for his child, he should sign an AOP or acknowledgement of paternity form, once the child is born. This form guarantees that the father has certain parental rights. However, there are some rights that are not guaranteed by...