• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Teenage Father's Rights

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

T

teenparent

Junior Member
Hi... I'm a 17 year old in Washington State. My girlfriend is 18, and she is about 4 months pregnant. She moved back in with her mother recently (she wanted to work on their relationship a bit), and her mother has been trying to remove me from the babies life. She told my girlfriend that she had a little money, and that she would be willing to move her and my (unborn) baby to California, that they would raise the child together, and that they would not need me. Yesterday after an argument, my girlfriend claimed that, if she wanted to, she could put the child up for adoption without my consent. The baby is due November 11, and I will not turn 18 until February.

I have a few questions:

If my girlfriend decides that adoption is the way to go right after the baby is born, will I have any say in the matter?

Probably not exactly in the adoption category but:
I'm assuming that I have no rights as a father to be involved in her pregnancy. Is this true?If she decides to keep it, can she just relocate the child to California?

I am 17, but I feel like I would be able to support the kid. I have an AS-T in Chemistry, my GED, I have a job, and my father has told me that if I ever ran short of funds, he would be willing to loan me as much money as I would need. Infact, I've never even once considered myself as possibly needing to utilize welfare. What are my rights? What do I do?
 


Just Blue

Just Blue

Senior Member
teenparent said:
Hi... I'm a 17 year old in Washington State. My girlfriend is 18, and she is about 4 months pregnant. She moved back in with her mother recently (she wanted to work on their relationship a bit), and her mother has been trying to remove me from the babies life. She told my girlfriend that she had a little money, and that she would be willing to move her and my (unborn) baby to California, that they would raise the child together, and that they would not need me. Yesterday after an argument, my girlfriend claimed that, if she wanted to, she could put the child up for adoption without my consent. The baby is due November 11, and I will not turn 18 until February.

I have a few questions:

If my girlfriend decides that adoption is the way to go right after the baby is born, will I have any say in the matter?

Probably not exactly in the adoption category but:
I'm assuming that I have no rights as a father to be involved in her pregnancy. Is this true?If she decides to keep it, can she just relocate the child to California?

I am 17, but I feel like I would be able to support the kid. I have an AS-T in Chemistry, my GED, I have a job, and my father has told me that if I ever ran short of funds, he would be willing to loan me as much money as I would need. Infact, I've never even once considered myself as possibly needing to utilize welfare. What are my rights? What do I do?
Click to expand...

A consult with a local family law attorney is probably the thing for you to do...BUT in general.

Right now you do not know you are the father. After the child is born you can file to establish paternity. Until then there is not much for you to do. You can register on the Punitive Fathers Registry to prevent her from trying to give up the baby for adoption without first establishing paternity and getting your (as potential father) permission.
 
T

teenparent

Junior Member
hmm

Well what if she moves CA before the baby is born? I mean... I know you can't just take born children out of state on a whim, but while it is unborn? Thank you for your reply btw.

(Also, she says she's never been with anyone else, so the odds are that it is mine. But I guess you never know anything with 100% certainty.)
 
Just Blue

Just Blue

Senior Member
teenparent said:
Well what if she moves CA before the baby is born? I mean... I know you can't just take born children out of state on a whim, but while it is unborn? Thank you for your reply btw.

(Also, she says she's never been with anyone else, so the odds are that it is mine. But I guess you never know anything with 100% certainty.)
Click to expand...
Unless you can get a restraining order prohibiting the move (and you likely can't) then there is nothing to prevent her from moving. Consult with an attorney in your area to see what your legal options are for now and later. It is worth the money.
 
M

mommyof4

Senior Member
Clt747 said:
Unfortunately, neither Washington nor California have a Putative Father Registry.
Click to expand...
I was getting ready to post that information.

OP, what you do is file to establish paternity as soon as you know the baby has been born. IF she is still in WA, you file there. If she moves to CA, you file there.
 
>Charlotte<

>Charlotte<

Lurker
baystategirl said:
That is unfortunate. All states should have a registry.
Click to expand...
I agree. I hope the states that don't have one (AK, CA, CO, CT, HI, MS, KY, ME, MD, NE, NJ, NC, ND, SD, PA, RI, SC, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI) have an extremely diligent system in place to find fathers whose children are being adopted.
 
Ohiogal

Ohiogal

Queen Bee
fairisfair said:
Good Lord, Oh Sweetness has a sister.:eek:

Bwwhahahahhahahahahahhaha
Click to expand...
Between her, Luckiecatt and Pammy67 -- they are all looking at being reported if they do not start behaving and following the rules. OhSweetness at least posts legally correct information.

Though on this post i am not seeing anything jumping out at me that Sareena got wrong. :eek:
 
C

CourtClerk

Senior Member
sareena06 said:
The mother of the pregnant teen hun! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
I am FAR from being your hun.

And as far as the grandmother of this potential child, she has no legal standing to keep the OP from the baby, however, she's got all the standing in the world to keep her daughter from him... moving would be an excellent way in preventing contact between the 2.

Tell the OP to guilt the girlfriend into keeping the baby and the baby needing his father? What the baby needs is 2 self sufficient responsible ADULT parents capable of raising him/her. Go ahead, tell me how many teenagers are capable of doing that? Neither the OP or his little girlfriend are probably even paying for the toilet paper needed to wipe their behinds or completely taking care of themselves much less adding another mouth to the equation.
 
Just Blue

Just Blue

Senior Member
sareena06 said:
Ohiogal you crack me up. "if they do not start behaving and following the rules" lol x3.
I didn't post legal information on most of the other posts because people have already succeeded in that.Get off my case.There is NOTHING wrong with giving regular advice.



The mother of the pregnant teen hun! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
This is not a Dear Abby site. If you want to give THAT kind of advice go there...But free advice is a site that deals with LEGAL matters. Period.
 
Ohiogal

Ohiogal

Queen Bee
sareena06 said:
Ohiogal you crack me up. "if they do not start behaving and following the rules" lol x3.
I didn't post legal information on most of the other posts because people have already succeeded in that.Get off my case.There is NOTHING wrong with giving regular advice.



The mother of the pregnant teen hun! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Sareena, what you need to realize is that this is a LEGAL site. Not a support group. Start knowing the law and then once you prove you KNOW the law and are not just posting to see yourself on the internet, then you will gain the respect of the seniors and be accepted. Until then QUIT POSTING. This is a legal site. We are more than willing to accept newbies but they better know what they are posting and not forcing we seniors to correct every other of their posts. Which the three of you that I mentioned are doing. Which is annoying to those of us who have more imporant things to do than babysit some newbies who just want to offer "support". Go to www.drphil.com and they might be able to give you the outlet you need.

What the OP needs to understand is that as CC said, his girlfriend's mother has the right to keep him away from her daughter. He is NOT the legal father of this child yet. When the child is born, he can file for paternity/support/custody/visitation but until then he is NOTHING LEGALLY!
 
S

sour*tart

Member
Question!! Cant the poster still file in Washington unless mom and baby have been in California for 6 months or 90 days. I know with Child Support its 90 days in Texas; But thats only CS and thats Only Texas. But for paternity or custody is these states? I dont know is there is something similar to this that can be of help?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top