Single (Unmarried) Father's Rights

 

In Illinois, when a father's child is born to a mother who the father has not married, the father must assert his rights. Several steps should be taken to prudently ensure the rights of the father remain intact. One, both parents should sign the voluntary act of parentage. Two, the father should also sign Putative Father Registry. The registry is designed to allow a potential father to register his name, so that in the event a child is born he will be afforded certain rights. The mother does not need to be pregnant at the time the potential father signs the registry. It is important that the potential father signs this registry within thirty days of the birth of the child in order to prevent a forfeiture of some rights. Once paternity is established, both parties have the right to seek custody, visitation, child support and all of the other remedies available to married couples.

Parentage can also be established through family court, both in disputed and non-disputed situations. In cases where the parents dispute the parentage of the child, the court will order a DNA test. In non-disputed cases, the parents can stipulate to the parentage of the child.