Father’s Custody Rights Attorney in Columbus, Ohio

It’s not unfair to say that married fathers have the chance to play a significant role in their children’s lives and that unwed or divorced fathers deserve that same opportunity and privilege. Understanding father’s custody rights in Ohio is essential for divorced or unwed fathers so they can get the same opportunity to influence their children’s lives as married fathers receive. In Ohio, there is a presumption that a child born during the marriage is a child of that marriage. If a child is born to an unwed mother, the mother has all parental rights until the alleged father establishes parentage and obtains a court order for the allocation of parental rights.

Child custody cases for unwed or divorced fathers typically end up in court, where the judge or magistrate will make the decision for the children involved using a “best interests” standard. In Ohio, a father has no rights to a child unless he is married to the mother at the time of birth or establishes paternity and obtains a Court Order granting him custody, shared parenting, or visitation rights.

Navigating the aspects of child custody, especially for fathers, is emotionally charged and challenging. Having an Ohio Bar Association Certified Family Law lawyer to walk you through Ohio’s legal process and help you take the necessary steps towards establishing your father’s rights is pivotal. At The Law Offices of Kenneth R. Kline, Mr. Kline and his team devote their time exclusively to family law and can help you work towards a positive resolution.

According to Ohio law, an unmarried mother is automatically designated the sole residential parent or legal custodian of the child. Unless a court issues an Order modifying that, the mother will remain the sole residential parent. This designation means, for fathers seeking custody or visitation rights, the court must legally recognize them as the child’s father through a paternity test or by signing an affidavit of paternity. Once parentage is established, the court should treat mothers and fathers equally when deciding on custody arrangements.

So, do fathers have a real chance at custody or shared parenting in the state of Ohio? Yes. Under Ohio law, whenever parents of a child first come to court, whether as divorced or unwed parents, the court will always treat the parents as equals when making any type of custody designation. When on equal footing, fathers have a better chance at establishing rights to their children.

Ultimately, fathers need to convince the court that they plan to play a significant role by remaining in their children’s lives and that they are operating in the children’s best interests. The best way to do this is by trusting a family law attorney to help you create a plan of action that puts your best foot forward and keeps your goals in mind. Attorney Kline and team will evaluate your unique circumstances and help you continue playing a role in your children’s lives.

We understand the preconceived notion that judges favor mothers in child custody cases, and we do everything we can to ensure you, as the father, are on an even playing field when it comes to the custody of your children. We understand the emotional toll custody cases have on families, and we do our best to mediate the process in a way that yields positive outcomes.

Attorney Kline, our child father’s rights attorney, is responsive and accessible to ensure our clients understand every step of the child custody process. We navigate the nuances involved in child custody and have been working towards successful resolutions for our clients since 2001.

Learn More About Our Columbus, Ohio Father’s Rights Attorney

The Law Offices of Kenneth R. Kline is located in Columbus, Ohio, and proudly serves families in and around Delaware County, Grove City, Reynoldsburg, Westerville, Upper Arlington, and Franklin County. Trust our expertise to help you navigate your child custody agreement. Schedule a risk-free consultation to learn more about father’s rights in Ohio.