National Putative Father Registry Database Could Benefit Father And The Child
This article intends to highlight the rationale for creating a National Putative Father Registry, instead of just allowing each state to independently promulgate their own registry.
What is a Paternity Registry?
A Paternity or Putative Father Registry is a database established to protect children and their mother by allowing putative fathers to list their names. This, in turn, will require that the putative father is notified regarding his legal rights to the child and if any of those rights are in the process of being removed. This also protects unmarried mothers by not forcing them to identify the names of the possible fathers. There are thirty states that currently have paternity registries (Ohio is included in this group). A previous article posted on the Ohio Family Law Blog discussing the Ohio Putative Father Database can be found here.
What’s the point of a Paternity Registry?
Paternity registries have numerous uses. The first and often most beneficial use of the paternity registry is to notify and prevent putative fathers from having their parental rights removed without notice. By being listed in the State where the adoption proceedings are … Read More... “Putative Father Registry: Should One Be Established Nationally?”
Lately, it seems that I have had more and more of my male clients coming in to see me to discuss issues relating to paternity. There are so many myths out there about what needs to happen to establish paternity and the possible outcomes of failing to do so, that it never ceases to amaze me! Perhaps the most serious outcome that many people are unaware of is that a “putative” father can have his child adopted out to someone else without his consent if the appropriate action has not been taken.