There are a couple of ways this can be done. If you and the child’s mother agree that you are the father you may file a document called a Stipulation for Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage. This form is commonly referred to as a “voluntary acknowledgment form.” Each parent signs this form before a notary. After 60 days, this form has the same effect as a judge determining that you are the father. This form is available in the Registry Office of the Court.

If you and the mother do not agree that you are the father of the child, you may file a Complaint to Establish Paternity, asking the court to determine that you are the child’s father. Samples of this Complaint are available in the Registry Office.

Many unmarried parents sign a voluntary acknowledgments at the hospital at the time of the birth. For babies born after 1994, it is necessary for both parents to sign this form in order for the father’s name to be on the child’s birth certificate.

The law about voluntary acknowledgment forms changed in 1994. If you signed this form after 1994, it means you are legally the child’s father. If you signed it before 1994, you still need to file a Complaint to Establish Paternity to be legally declared to be the child’s father.

Yes. The most accurate form of testing is called genetic marker testing. The Massachusetts Department of Revenue conducts this testing at the Hampshire Probate and Family Court one day per month. There is a handout called “Frequently Asked Paternity Testing Questions” which is available in the Probation Office of the Court.

It depends. If it has been less than 60 days since you signed the voluntary acknowledgment, you have the right to ask for testing. If this is your situation, you should ask the staff in the Registry Office for a pamphlet called “How to Rescind a Voluntary Acknowledgment”.

Yes.

Yes. Minors can sign voluntary acknowledgment forms. It is difficult - - maybe impossible to change your mind once a voluntary acknowledgment is signed, therefore it is always a good idea to have paternity tests.

In Massachusetts, if a child is born during a marriage (or within 300 days of a marriage) the husband is presumed to be the father of the child. This means that the law assumes that he is the father, whether or not he actually is. Question 8 below discusses the steps you can take..

You need to file a Complaint to Establish Paternity with the Court. In this Complaint you need to name both your husband and the baby’s father as defendants. In addition, you and your husband should file a form called an Affidavit of Denial of Paternity and you and the father should file a voluntary acknowledgment form. These forms are all available in the Registry Office of the Court.

Yes. It is very complicated for a father in this situation to bring a court action to determine if he is the father of the child. It is important that you consult with a lawyer to help you in drafting the paperwork you need to go forward. If you need help finding a lawyer, there is a pamphlet available called “How to Find A Lawyer” which may be helpful to you.

Yes. As in the Question 9 above, it is very complicated for a father to bring a court action in this situation. It is important to consult a lawyer to help you draft the paperwork you need.

No. A court can only enter a judgment of paternity after a child is born. Parents cannot file a voluntary acknowledgment until after the birth.

If there are no court orders concerning custody of your child and the mother and father are not married, the mother automatically has sole legal and physical custody of the child. See Question 4 below for a definition of custody.

No. If the parties are unmarried and a court has not determined custody, the mother automatically has sole legal and physical custody of the child, even if the parties have signed a voluntary acknowledgment form and the father’s name is on the birth certificate.

If the parents are unmarried, the mother has sole legal and physical custody of the child unless there is a court order with different terms.

Yes. There are two types of custody - legal custody and physical custody.

Legal custody is the authority to make major decisions on behalf of your child. If the parents share legal custody they will work together to make major decisions in the child’s life about such issues as education, medical care and religion. If a parent has sole legal custody that parent shall have sole responsibility for making major decisions about these issues.

Physical custody is where the child lives. One parent may have sole physical custody of the child, which means that the child’s primary residence is with that parent, but can spend time with the other parent. Parents can also share joint physical custody, which means the children reside with each parent for certain periods of time

The type of custody which works best for your child depends a great deal on your relationship with the other parent. Joint custody arrangements require a great deal of cooperation between the parents and an ability to communicate with each other and make difficult decisions for your child.

There is a pamphlet on the General Information board called “Thinking about Parenting from the Practical Perspective” which may be helpful to you in thinking about custody.

Yes. Unmarried parents can reach an agreement about custody and can ask to have their agreement made part of a court order. The judge must review the agreement and find that it is in the best interest of the child. There are sample agreement forms available.

Yes. Any plan which you design is subject to a court’s approval, but the court tries to respects the wishes of parents. For example, some parents dislike the word “visitation.” You can write a parenting agreement which doesn’t use the word as long as you describe each parent’s access to the child clearly and in enough detail so that both parents understand the plan and can avoid arguments about it.

There is a pamphlet on the General Information board called “Thinking about Parenting from the Practical Perspective” which may be helpful to you in writing a parenting plan.

Yes. Mediation is one method available to you for solving disputes in the Probate and Family Court. There is a pamphlet called “Approved Programs for Mediation” which describes the process and lists programs approved by the Court. It is available on the Conflict Resolutions Options board located in the hallway of Court.

The court can do so, but it is usually not done.

The law in Massachusetts is that judge can only order joint custody without an agreement if:

· the parents have successfully exercised joint responsibility for the child before the case comes to court and

· the parents have the ability to communicate with each other and plan with each other concerning the child’s best interest.

The law requires that the judge consider the following things:

· which parent has been the primary caretaker for the child and the quality of the care;

· where and with whom the child has lived in the six months before coming to court;

· whether one or both parents has established a personal and parental relationship with the child; and

· whether one or both parents has exercised parental responsibility in the best interest of the child. .

If she does not agree, you will need to ask the court for the right to visit with the baby. You do this by filing a Complaint for Custody, Support and Visitation. You will need to attach a certified copy of the voluntary acknowledgment form which you both signed at the hospital. There is a pamphlet called “Obtaining Copies of Birth Certificates and Voluntary Acknowledgment Forms” which may be helpful to you. It is available in the Registry office.

Yes, but in order to have a right to visitation, you must be legally determined to be the father of the child. If you and the mother sign a voluntary acknowledgment form, it has the effect of legally stating you are the father. If this has not been done and the mother is not willing to do so, you need to take an additional step of asking the court to legally declare that you are the father.

This is done by filing a Complaint to Establish Paternity. This Complaint is available in the Registry Office of the Court.

The issues of child support and visitation are two separate issues and are looked at independently by the court. If the court orders you to pay support you do not have an automatic right to visitation. You also cannot be denied the right to visitation because you have not paid support.

If you and the mother cannot agree about visitation, you will need to ask the court to order visitation. This is done by filing a Complaint for Custody, Support and Visitation. Samples of this Complaint are available in the Registry Office.

Yes. The issues of child support and visitation are two separate issues and are looked at independently by the court. You can ask the court to enforce the order for the other parent to pay child support by filing a Complaint for Contempt but you cannot stop visits because child support is not being paid.

If you filed a voluntary acknowledgment form and his name is on the child’s birth certificate, you can file a Complaint for Custody, Support and Visitation. If his name is not on the birth certificate (or if the child was born before 1994) you will need to file a Complaint to Establish Paternity. Both forms are available in the Registry Office.

Yes. There is a pamphlet on the General Information board called “Answers to Common Questions about Child Support” which may answer many of your questions.

No. The issues of child support and visitation are two separate issues and are looked at independently by the court. You can ask the court to enforce the order by filing a Complaint for Contempt but you cannot stop paying child support because the other parent is not allowing you to visit.