If you are a father, it can be devastating to feel as though you are not getting the time that you deserve with your child. It is therefore vital that you understand what needs to be done in order to make a compelling child custody case and ensure that your relationship with your child is protected.
If you are seeking full custody of your child, it is important to understand the very specific challenges of this request. It can be difficult for either fathers or mothers to gain full custody of their child, since the judge always prefers to rule for joint or shared custody whenever it is possible. This is because they believe that it is in the best interests of the child to have a relationship with both parents.
How to gain full custody
In order to go about gaining full custody of your child, you must first of all be able to prove that you are the father. This will not be an issue if you are listed on the child’s birth certificate. However, if the mother will not acknowledge your paternity, then you may have to take a DNA test. If the mother will not submit the child for testing, it could require a court order.
You must also be able to show the courts that it is in the best interests of the child to spend all of their time with you, as opposed to some or all of their time with their mother. It is likely that you will be successful with this if the mother has a history of violence or addiction.
If you want to gain full custody as a father, it is important that you build up a compelling case over time.
Source: The Spruce, “How fathers can get full custody,” accessed Feb. 23, 2018
