Fathers Rights Attorney in New Jersey
Long gone are the days when a father attempts to shirk responsibility for a child born out of wedlock, as many fathers today welcome the opportunity to be a part of their child’s life. They want to have a say in important decisions regarding child-rearing, spend time with their offspring, and are willing to provide the necessary financial support. Fortunately, state laws do favor an arrangement that enables a child to have a relationship with both parents, so you do enjoy fathers’ rights in Hackensack, New Jersey.
Our lawyers at Giro Attorneys at Law, LLC are dedicated to ensuring protection of your legal rights as a father. We have decades of experience serving clients in Bergen County, NJ and throughout the surrounding area, so our attorneys are knowledgeable in the laws establishing fathers’ rights. At the same time, our legal team has the compassion necessary to understand how many of these issues are quite personal in nature.
Enforcing Your Right to a Relationship with Your Child
If you were not married to the child’s mother, you must first establish paternity of the child for your rights as a father to apply. There are two ways to do so:
- Certificate of Parentage or Voluntary Acknowledgement: When a child’s parents agree to the father’s identity, they can execute an official Hackensack, New Jersey form indicating their acknowledgement of paternity. The document must be notarized and then filed with the Hackensack, New Jersey Department of Health.
- Paternity Action: If the parents do not agree to paternity, either one of them may file a court case to determine legal paternity. You do have the right as a father to initiate this type of lawsuit, even though this litigation is typically associated with a mother seeking paternity for child support purposes. After filing a petition, you present evidence to support your claims, usually in the form of genetic testing. The court will enter an order establishing paternity if you meet your level of proof.
Your Fathers’ Rights in Hackensack, New Jersey
In weighing grandparents’ rights to visitation with a grandchild, a court will consider eight factors:
- The grandparent’s relationship with the child;
- The grandparent’s relationship with each parent or a person living with the child;
- How long has passed since the child and grandparent maintained contact;
- How grandparent visitation will impact the relationship between each parent or a person living with the child;
- The co-parenting arrangement between the child’s parents, in the event of divorce or separation;
- The grandparent’s motivation in filing the petition, and whether it was filed in good faith or for questionable reasons;
- Any history of abuse or neglect related to the grandparent; and,
- Any other factors that may be relevant to the best interests of the child, on a case-by-case basis.
Based upon these factors, you can see that grandparents’ rights may only be recognized when the grandparents have a direct, personal relationship with the child. Occasional, infrequent visits may not support a finding that you have rights to visitation.
Hackensack, New Jersey Fathers’ Rights Attorneys are on Your Side
For more information on paternity matters and fathers’ rights laws in Hackensack, New Jersey, please contact Giro Attorneys at Law, LLC. We can set up a consultation at our Hackensack, NJ office to discuss your circumstances and legal options as a father.
- 90 Main Street, Hackensack, New Jersey, 07601
- (201) 690-1642
- maurice@old.girolaw.com
Office Hours
Monday – Thursday: 9:00am – 6:30pm
Friday : 9:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday: 11:00am – 1:00pm
