The court will not award custody and visitation rights to just any adult. That person must be a family member or parent and it is up to you to prove that you are one of those. For fathers, this is called establishing paternity. If you are married or were married to your ex-spouse when the child was born, then paternity is automatically established; you don't have to do anything else. But what happens if you weren't married? Do you have any recourse to getting parental rights and visitation?
Parents trying to hash out child custody arrangements in Minnesota are told that the final arrangement must be in the best interests of the children. What does this mean? Traditionally, this meant that children would be placed with the mother and the father would be granted weekend visitation with the child.
The obligation to contribute financially to a child's well-being is one that every Minnesota parent must take seriously. When this obligation is formalized through child support orders, it is crucial to stay in compliance and make payments in full and on time. Failure to do this can result in numerous penalties.
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