I don’t understand how this would have been any different had the mother been married to the boyfriend (initially stated as only potential father) at the time of birth.
As an unmarried father (been together 10 years, totally unremarkable for where I’m from in Europe) I signed a declaration of paternity when registering the birth of our child in California. As I understand it this establishes the same paternity rights as if we had been married at the time.
This may be true in Europe. In the U.S. the only paternity rights you get is basically paying for things. The 10 years together in CA can also mean if you split, you are responsible for alimony and child support to your partner until your child turns 18 years. Europeans have a hard time understanding a few things about the U.S.. 97% of alimony claims go from men to women so there is an incentive. Signing doesn't give you paternity rights, it gives you paternity obligations.
I am no expert but at least according to the sources I can find it provides me the same rights as if we were married.
> However, if the parents take the step of establishing legal parentage via a Declaration of Paternity, the unmarried fathers’ rights in California would be the same as those of a married father. In other words, both parents are recognized as having legal custody of the child.
> Except as provided in §§ 7573.5, 7575, 7576, 7577, and 7580, a completed voluntary declaration of parentage that complies with this chapter and that has been filed with the Department of Child Support Services is equivalent to a judgment of parentage of the child and confers on the declarant all rights and duties of a parent
The guys I teach in jail, what is most important to them when they get out is to be able to support and take care of their children, to be the father that they had not been before. They are sincere in this -- though one cannot know if they will be able to do it. But they should be encouraged and honored for this, though the current system makes it so much more difficult. Any steps forward are very important.
This is great for parenthood. This is Right for the Child. I simply beg that it does not revert to
Putting the other parent in quandry. The Power games played in either direction can be so very destructive. One hundred fifty years ago, Women lost. their children in divorce. Don't let the pendulum swing too far.
Comments so far can show the problems that people have with this topic. It could take a enormous risk to the Child's well being if not well thought out. Danger in all directions.
I've never gone through a divorce but have plenty of friends that have been wrecked by it. Richard Reeves lives in a delusional world. The acrimony of divorce is the constant description I have received from several friends. You cannot legislate certain things and I think the author keeps looking at men and women as rational beings. The opposite shows how we got here. I have friends that drive 5 hours every Friday after work to spend time with their kids because their partners will not accommodate traffic, fatigue or stress. The worse is turning kids against their fathers. This is the first piece where very little data is provided. I'm wondering why.
Fascinating article and development. Glad to see some fairness in the family courts in AZ, I hope this catches on and we can get similar rulings across the country. Fathers should have as much, if not more, rights over their children as the mother. Also, men need to show more self-control and discipline and date with marriage in mind as opposed to being careless and knocking up random women.
Good news. Speaking of fatherhood I was just reading about how the lack of US statistics on men's fertility impact our ability to understand/support men (both fathers and childless). I look forward to the day when my doctor asks me about my pregnancy history as automatically as they ask my spouse.
To the people wondering why I would like a newsletter like this, note that single mothers often use threat of seeing or not seeing the child as a way to control or manipulate their ex-boyfriend (who thought she was on birth control), so when he goes to date a girl like me, now I have to deal with this woman’s bull****. She might call while we’re together and wreck our date, cry in front of us about needing more money, change the day she’ll allow him to see his child, make him cancel plans with me… it’s next level psychological manipulation and guys just take it. There needs to be reform
I don’t understand how this would have been any different had the mother been married to the boyfriend (initially stated as only potential father) at the time of birth.
As an unmarried father (been together 10 years, totally unremarkable for where I’m from in Europe) I signed a declaration of paternity when registering the birth of our child in California. As I understand it this establishes the same paternity rights as if we had been married at the time.
This may be true in Europe. In the U.S. the only paternity rights you get is basically paying for things. The 10 years together in CA can also mean if you split, you are responsible for alimony and child support to your partner until your child turns 18 years. Europeans have a hard time understanding a few things about the U.S.. 97% of alimony claims go from men to women so there is an incentive. Signing doesn't give you paternity rights, it gives you paternity obligations.
I am no expert but at least according to the sources I can find it provides me the same rights as if we were married.
> However, if the parents take the step of establishing legal parentage via a Declaration of Paternity, the unmarried fathers’ rights in California would be the same as those of a married father. In other words, both parents are recognized as having legal custody of the child.
https://www.1900law.com/understanding-unmarried-fathers-rights-in-california/
See also:
> Except as provided in §§ 7573.5, 7575, 7576, 7577, and 7580, a completed voluntary declaration of parentage that complies with this chapter and that has been filed with the Department of Child Support Services is equivalent to a judgment of parentage of the child and confers on the declarant all rights and duties of a parent
https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/rights-unmarried-parents-california/
I didn’t do anything special. They just gave us the declaration form to sign at the hospital while registering the birth.
The guys I teach in jail, what is most important to them when they get out is to be able to support and take care of their children, to be the father that they had not been before. They are sincere in this -- though one cannot know if they will be able to do it. But they should be encouraged and honored for this, though the current system makes it so much more difficult. Any steps forward are very important.
This is great for parenthood. This is Right for the Child. I simply beg that it does not revert to
Putting the other parent in quandry. The Power games played in either direction can be so very destructive. One hundred fifty years ago, Women lost. their children in divorce. Don't let the pendulum swing too far.
Comments so far can show the problems that people have with this topic. It could take a enormous risk to the Child's well being if not well thought out. Danger in all directions.
Richard is doing amazing, long overdue work. The fact that birth certificates (which are legal documents) still don't require matching DNA is absurd.
I've never gone through a divorce but have plenty of friends that have been wrecked by it. Richard Reeves lives in a delusional world. The acrimony of divorce is the constant description I have received from several friends. You cannot legislate certain things and I think the author keeps looking at men and women as rational beings. The opposite shows how we got here. I have friends that drive 5 hours every Friday after work to spend time with their kids because their partners will not accommodate traffic, fatigue or stress. The worse is turning kids against their fathers. This is the first piece where very little data is provided. I'm wondering why.
Fascinating article and development. Glad to see some fairness in the family courts in AZ, I hope this catches on and we can get similar rulings across the country. Fathers should have as much, if not more, rights over their children as the mother. Also, men need to show more self-control and discipline and date with marriage in mind as opposed to being careless and knocking up random women.
Good news. Speaking of fatherhood I was just reading about how the lack of US statistics on men's fertility impact our ability to understand/support men (both fathers and childless). I look forward to the day when my doctor asks me about my pregnancy history as automatically as they ask my spouse.
To the people wondering why I would like a newsletter like this, note that single mothers often use threat of seeing or not seeing the child as a way to control or manipulate their ex-boyfriend (who thought she was on birth control), so when he goes to date a girl like me, now I have to deal with this woman’s bull****. She might call while we’re together and wreck our date, cry in front of us about needing more money, change the day she’ll allow him to see his child, make him cancel plans with me… it’s next level psychological manipulation and guys just take it. There needs to be reform