The minute a child comes into the world, a bond is formed between the child and the parents. There is no doubt that parents play a very crucial role in the life of their children; they have the responsibility of caring and providing for the children until they can do so on their own. As this role is of the utmost importance in the upbringing of kids, a number of states like Oklahoma have come up with legislation for protecting the children and holding the parents responsible for caring for them. If there is a question regarding this responsibility, the issue is usually taken to the Oklahoma family court system.
Role of Father in Child’s Life
When it comes to decisions of the family court, mothers are generally favored because of their traditional role as primary caregivers. There are some families that still follow the structure of the father going out to earn while the mother stays at home to look after the kids. However, there is an increased emphasis on the role played by a father as research shows that not only do they provide for them, but also have an impact on their academic and social development.
Paternity Rights in Oklahoma
When it comes to fathers custody rights Oklahoma, a male is first required to establish their paternity. This will depend on whether the child was born in a marriage or outside of it. If a man is married to the mother of the child at the time of birth, he will be regarded as the legal father automatically. Likewise, if the child was born before a marriage, but the mother married the man within 300 days of birth, he is presumed to be the father. But, when he is not the legal father, steps need to be taken for invoking is parental right.
An acknowledgment of paternity has to be filed by a man for legal registration, which must be prescribed by the Department of Human Services. In addition, the mother also needs to sign this registration. This is how parental rights and responsibilities are granted by the court to the father. If the paternity of the child is contested by either parent, genetic testing is required, which can be done voluntarily or the court will order it. Nonetheless, it should be noted that just because a man is proven to be the child’s biological father doesn’t mean that they are automatically entitled to child visitation and custody rights.
Child Custody and Visitation
When it comes to making custody determinations in Oklahoma, the judges usually follow the standard of ‘best interests of the child’ for making decisions. This means that they will not consider the parent’s preference and will think more of the child’s wellbeing. Generally, it is in the child’s best interests to have both parents involved, but if it is not possible, the judge chooses a primary custodian. A number of factors are considered by the judge before deciding whether the mother or the father will be the primary caregiver.
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