Need Some Advice for a Friend

[JML1976]

What is the name of your state? MA

A friend of mine has recently become pregnant...Shes 24, and made a really dumb mistake. She got herself pregnant by someone she was dating but they have since separated. Also he is of a different race than her. They have no intentions of getting married and probably wont be dating each other any more either. She is coming to me for advice.....

How should she go about protecting herself and her rights? What are some first steps she should take? Should she make sure that he signs the birth certificate? Does that establish paternity in the state of MA? Does the fact that they are of different races matter at all?

 

[rmet4nzkx]

Your friend should become educated on rights re paternity in general, her right's, the father's and the child's right's and along with the obligations of parenthood. What are your friends specific questions, beyond the father signing the birth certificate? Today few would acknowledge paternity without DNA when there is no marriage.
Have they considered adoption?

 

[JML1976]

She needs to be informed of everything and anything...and I dont want to misinform her...
I dont think adoption is an option for her - I think she will either have it or not have it if you know what i mean.
I just want to give her some legal information so she can really make an informed decision.

 

[casa]

I don't see what race has to do with it??

If she has the baby, she'll likely want to read up on parenting anyway- include parental and children's rights in that reading. Check online for your states custody laws and email them to her. Whether the father will be in the child's life is up to the father, not your friend. If her concern is child support, she can file for that in court along with request to establish paternity via DNA testing. Happens all the time.

Good luck to the baby in all this.

 

[VeronicaGia]

What is the name of your state? MA

A friend of mine has recently become pregnant...Shes 24, and made a really dumb mistake. She got herself pregnant by someone she was dating but they have since separated. Also he is of a different race than her. They have no intentions of getting married and probably wont be dating each other any more either. She is coming to me for advice.....

How should she go about protecting herself and her rights? What are some first steps she should take? Should she make sure that he signs the birth certificate? Does that establish paternity in the state of MA? Does the fact that they are of different races matter at all?

She cannot force him or "make sure" he signs the birth certificate. If he doesn't want to sign it, he doesn't have to.

And this is not about her rights, it's about the childs right to equal access to both parents.

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state? MA

A friend of mine has recently become pregnant...Shes 24, and made a really dumb mistake. She got herself pregnant by someone she was dating but they have since separated. Also he is of a different race than her. They have no intentions of getting married and probably wont be dating each other any more either. She is coming to me for advice.....

How should she go about protecting herself and her rights? What are some first steps she should take? Should she make sure that he signs the birth certificate? Does that establish paternity in the state of MA? Does the fact that they are of different races matter at all?

I think that maybe I understand a little bit more what she really wants to know. First, race is irrelevant.

She will have the right to file for child support whether the father signs the birth certificate or not. The court would then just require a DNA test.

He will have the right to file for visitation/custody rights. He could choose not to do that, but she can't choose that for him. Unless he could be proven to be legally unfit (not morally, but legally) then he WILL get at least visitation rights, and probably at least some form of joint legal custody as well.

She could try to avoid him ever finding out about the baby by not informing him of the pregnancy or asking for child support. However, realistically that's not a good plan, nor is it fair to the father or child.

If she intends to have the child then she needs to plan on spending the next 18 years co-parenting with the father.