Who is legally recognized as a childs father?
The question “Who is the father?” is not as simple a question as you might think. There are important legal distinctions between different situations relating to paternity. Acknowledged Father An acknowledged father is any biological father of a child born to unmarried parents for whom paternity has been established by either the admission of the father or the agreement of the parents. An acknowledged father must pay child support. Presumed Father If any of the following are true, a man is presumed to be the father of a child, unless he or the mother proves otherwise to a court: • he was married to the mother when the child was conceived or born, although some states do not consider a man to be a presumed father if the couple has separated • he attempted to marry the mother (even if the marriage was not valid) and the child was conceived or born during the “marriage” • he married the mother after the birth and agreed either to have his name on the birth certificate or to support the ch
