rather complicated situation involving 14 and 17 year old PA laws

[ladagosta]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? PA
The girl was 14 at the time and the boy (stepbrother) was 17: the girl (referred to herein as G) conceived and had a child with step brother (referred to herein as SB)
G had the child at age 15, now G is 18 and left her parents home as her father was abusive (only since she became pregnant, there is some guilt underlying this but the post is not in regard to this so...) and she was under enough stress being a single teen mom and attending school.
SB indicated no interest in participating in the child's life previously and showed little interest in the child's well being. The child is now nearing 3 years of age and both parents are 18 and 20 respectively.
G is now staying in a home and finishing school has applied for county assistance and CCIS and county have requested she fill out a report (since she is no longer in her parents house) indicating the birth fathers name in order to go after him for support. She does not want him involved as he didn't want anything to do with the child then and has struggled for the past couple of years with out complicating the situation with SB involved in possibly a fight for custody. Now that the child is older as well as both parents being older, G is more afraid of the fact SB is now possibly working and will try to take the child from her since she is no longer living with her parents and she is still in school and working towards obtaining a college degree. G knows this will be a struggle over all but she doesn't feel it is right that she is being forced to file a claim against the birth father now when he has had nothing to do with the child for the past almost 3 years. She fears that if he is forced to pay child support he may feel the need to claim custody of the child. G does a relatively super job tending to the child while still managing school with no help from SB for the past near 3 years. The child does not know who his father really is, so how do the courts usually handle a situation like this? Can she not include his name on the forms ( note that she did include the name as the birth father on the birth certificate) please any insight on this matter would be helpful. thanks

 

[cbg]

If she expects the government to provide her with assistance she damn well does. Why should the taxpayers have to provide for her and her child if the kid's father doesn't?

 

[Silverplum]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? PA
The girl was 14 at the time and the boy (stepbrother) was 17: the girl (referred to herein as G) conceived and had a child with step brother (referred to herein as SB)
G had the child at age 15, now G is 18 and left her parents home as her father was abusive (only since she became pregnant, there is some guilt underlying this but the post is not in regard to this so...) and she was under enough stress being a single teen mom and attending school.
SB indicated no interest in participating in the child's life previously and showed little interest in the child's well being. The child is now nearing 3 years of age and both parents are 18 and 20 respectively.
G is now staying in a home and finishing school has applied for county assistance and CCIS and county have requested she fill out a report (since she is no longer in her parents house) indicating the birth fathers name in order to go after him for support. She does not want him involved as he didn't want anything to do with the child then and has struggled for the past couple of years with out complicating the situation with SB involved in possibly a fight for custody. Now that the child is older as well as both parents being older, G is more afraid of the fact SB is now possibly working and will try to take the child from her since she is no longer living with her parents and she is still in school and working towards obtaining a college degree. G knows this will be a struggle over all but she doesn't feel it is right that she is being forced to file a claim against the birth father now when he has had nothing to do with the child for the past almost 3 years. She fears that if he is forced to pay child support he may feel the need to claim custody of the child. G does a relatively super job tending to the child while still managing school with no help from SB for the past near 3 years. The child does not know who his father really is, so how do the courts usually handle a situation like this? Can she not include his name on the forms ( note that she did include the name as the birth father on the birth certificate) please any insight on this matter would be helpful. thanks

Nothing is truly free: there usually are strings attached.

 

[Zigner]

What-say you have one of the people actually (legally) involved in the situation log on to ask his or her own questions?

 

[Ohiogal]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? PA
The girl was 14 at the time and the boy (stepbrother) was 17: the girl (referred to herein as G) conceived and had a child with step brother (referred to herein as SB)
G had the child at age 15, now G is 18 and left her parents home as her father was abusive (only since she became pregnant, there is some guilt underlying this but the post is not in regard to this so...) and she was under enough stress being a single teen mom and attending school.
SB indicated no interest in participating in the child's life previously and showed little interest in the child's well being. The child is now nearing 3 years of age and both parents are 18 and 20 respectively.
G is now staying in a home and finishing school has applied for county assistance and CCIS and county have requested she fill out a report (since she is no longer in her parents house) indicating the birth fathers name in order to go after him for support. She does not want him involved as he didn't want anything to do with the child then and has struggled for the past couple of years with out complicating the situation with SB involved in possibly a fight for custody. Now that the child is older as well as both parents being older, G is more afraid of the fact SB is now possibly working and will try to take the child from her since she is no longer living with her parents and she is still in school and working towards obtaining a college degree. G knows this will be a struggle over all but she doesn't feel it is right that she is being forced to file a claim against the birth father now when he has had nothing to do with the child for the past almost 3 years. She fears that if he is forced to pay child support he may feel the need to claim custody of the child. G does a relatively super job tending to the child while still managing school with no help from SB for the past near 3 years. The child does not know who his father really is, so how do the courts usually handle a situation like this? Can she not include his name on the forms ( note that she did include the name as the birth father on the birth certificate) please any insight on this matter would be helpful. thanks

She needs state aid or wants child support. she needs to name the child's father. End of story. She chose him. He has a right to file for custody. It is called consequences.

 

[Silverplum]

She needs state aid or wants child support. she needs to name the child's father. End of story. She chose him. He has a right to file for custody. It is called consequences.

I looked up the age of consent in PA, and it seems the putative father is in the clear on that issue: http://www.ageofconsent.com/pennsylvania.htm

PA custody laws: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/23/00.053..HTM

I have a difficult time saying Mom chose Dad, given her very young age. I know she had post-conception options, but again, her extreme youth prevents me from assigning a lot of thoughtful responsibility to a 14 y.o. Maybe the judge will view it my way, maybe yours.

 

[Ohiogal]

Silver, look at the math.

 

[davew128]

Why do I keep getting the feeling that this was in PA near West Virginia. Cue the banjo music.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

As a side note, if you divorce your husband in WV, he is still your brother.

 

[Eekamouse]

As a side note, if you divorce your husband in WV, he is still your brother.

Hahahahahahahaha!!!! (My stupid like button doesn't work!)

 

[Ladyback1]

It is not complicated AT ALL!
Mom wants/needs government assistance. The agency she is requesting assistance from REQUIRES that the father (if known) or the suspected father be named in the application for assistance.
So, you either fill out the application correctly and honestly with the hope of receiving assistance or you don't and there isn't a snowball's chance in Hades that assistance will be awarded/granted.

The father has a financial and legal obligation to the child. It doesn't matter if the father doesn't want to play Daddy. It doesn't matter that mom doesn't want to involve dad. It doesn't matter that Dad has not been present in the child's life....

I really don't see anything complicated in this situation at all!

 

[Just Blue]

As a side note, if you divorce your husband in WV, he is still your brother.

Ya know...That is a comment I would think but not post.

 

[dave33]

ladagosta, You have already placed the fathers name on the birth certificate. Game over. This document is needed in so many ways, regardless of how you try to avoid involving the birth father, his involvement will be discovered. The mother may have had a chance to keep the birth father out of the childs life by claiming ignorance, but that is no longer an option because of the birth certificate. As of this point that is the single most important document in the childs life and if you try claiming you do not know the fathers identity, the first document to be scrutinized by any state agency will be the birth certificate. goodluck.