“When it comes to this little girl, you ARE the father!” This phrase is probably familiar to those who have seen the Jerry Springer Show. However, that is television entertainment. When it comes to determining official paternity, in reality, it will take a lot more than what you see happening on a talk show. This article talks about legitimation. Legitimation is the process of officially and legally determining paternity. Laws are pretty much standard from state to state, but this article will focus on paternity as it relates to residents of Georgia.
To begin with, when a man fathers a child out of wedlock, that child is said to be illegitimate. A lot of people feel that to correct this, all the father needs to do is sign the birth certificate, and that will settle it. That may satisfy matters in your mind, but in some important civil matters, it may not satisfy the requirements for legitimate fatherhood. By not going through the proper process of legitimation, the child may be denied certain benefits that would otherwise be automatic.
For a child to become legitimate, the father would have to petition the Superior Court in the county of the mother’s residence (or other legal guardian, if applicable). If the mother or guardian lives outside the state or cannot be reached, the father may petition the Superior Court in which he resides. There is a stipulation, however, that if there is a pending adoption, the father must file his petition in the court where that adoption proceeding is taking place. The father must show that he has not given up his rights or interest in the child.
As you can see, the process of officially being declared the father of your own child could become complex if there are other people involved. If you wish to maintain your rights as the father of your child, you must take the necessary steps to ensure this. The most intelligent thing you could do at this time is to hire an attorney who will represent your interests. If you want to know your specific rights about legitimation, visit the website of Business Name at Website Domain.
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