This is the first post in a series which will discuss the rights of Virginia fathers. We previously discussed the rights of unmarried parents in our state. We decided to write on the broader topic of a dad’s rights due to the fact that there are many misconceptions over the issue. The goal of the coming articles is to provide information which will help dads to fully understand their situations. It is also the hope to provide information which will help people make an informed decision when they are selecting a family law lawyer. If you require assistance then contact our office today to speak with an attorney.

We will address several topics over the coming articles. Issues which will be analyzed include:

• How Virginia views the rights of a father
• Why unmarried dads should immediately obtain a custody order
• Why the court will often view the “status quo” as something which should be maintained
• Dealing with situations in which paternity is in dispute

These are important topics for someone to understand. First, Virginia is like many states in that it views the rights of a father as being equal to those of a mother; it does not favor one parent over the other. Second, fathers should immediately obtain a custody order in order to help prevent disputes. Third, dads must be mindful of the fact that the situation they are currently allowing to go on is often what the court will choose to implement as an order. Finally, it is important to understand that a dad has no rights if he has not been declared the biological father of the child.

One point we cannot stress enough is that one should immediately contact a child custody attorney in order to make sure that their rights remain protected. A father who fails to immediately assert his rights, or who errs by taking matters into his own hands, increases the likelihood that the juvenile and domestic relations court will make the mother the primary caretaker of the child.

Contact our office today to schedule an initial consultation.