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Legitimation

Father's rights encompass many areas of family law. These rights sound in divorce, child custody, child visitation, paternity and legitimation. And though divorced dads and fathers of children that have received orders of legitimation are entitled to the very same parental rights as their maternal counterparts, unwed dads that have not received an order of legitimation may find that it can be a challenge to assert their parental rights.

It cannot be overstated here that unwed fathers have no legally recognized parental rights until they have received an order of legitimation from the court. Legitimation is a legal action that customarily can take up to 30 days in the state of Georgia. When a child is born out of wedlock, the biological father must pursue a Petition for Legitimation to assert his parental rights. A failure to do so can adversely impact his rights to custody, visitation and the child's receipt of an inheritance from his estate.

Paternity v. Legitimation

Though some believe that signing a child's birth certificate legally establishes paternity, this could not be further from the truth. Signing a child's birth certificate establishes neither paternity, the identify of a child's father, nor the father's parental rights. And though the establishment of paternity may trigger a father's child support obligation to financially care for his child, it does not establish his parental rights, which may include custody and visitation.​

At the Shakhan and Wilkerson Family Law Firm we help dads make sense of the law. Our attorneys know the legal terrain because we have personally experienced it, both as litigators and defendants. Give us a call at (833) GA-FAMILY and allow us to assist you in establishing a legal relationship with your child today. A child should have the right to know and grow with his/her dad.

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Our law firm proudly serves the Metro Atlanta area including Alpharetta, Marietta, Smyrna, Jonesboro, College Park, East Point, Decatur, Hapeville, Union City, Hampton, McDonough, Stone Mountain, Covington, Conyers, Lawrenceville, Douglasville, Fayette County, Henry County, Clayton County, Gwinnett County, Forsyth County, Cherokee County, Fulton County, Cobb County, as well as Lowndes County, Bibb County, Rockdale County, Newton County, Spalding County, Dougherty County, Douglas County, Muscogee County, and Chatham County.

Metro Atlanta
105a Glynn Street South
Fayetteville, GA 30214
404-999-9529
Macon
305 Pierce Ave
Macon, GA 31204
404-999-9529

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Nothing posted on this website shall constitute legal advice. If you need legal advice please contact our office to schedule an appointment. No attorney client relationship exists until we have a written contract. ​

No Legal Advice Intended: The contents of this website are intended to convey general information only and not to provide legal advice or opinions. The contents of this website, and the posting and viewing of the information on this website, should not be construed as, and should not be relied upon for, legal advice or any particular circumstance or fact situation. The information presented on this website may not reflect the most current legal developments. No action should be taken in reliance on the information contained on this website and we disclaim all liability in respect to actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the contents of this site to the fullest extent permitted by law. An attorney should be contacted for advice on specific legal issues.

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