Know Your Rights As A Father Or A Grandparent
Tennessee automatically grants parental rights to a child’s biological mother, but not to a child’s biological father or grandparents. This means that many fathers and grandparents do not have custody or visitation rights with the child they love so dearly. If you are in this situation, you must take legal action to access your rights as a father or grandparent.
To obtain custody or visitation with a child, you should work with a skilled and experienced legal advocate. At The Barnett Firm, our attorneys and staff work diligently to help fathers and grandparents protect their rights regarding their children and grandchildren. We will strive to obtain access to your child or grandchild through custody or regular visitation.
What Are My Rights As A Father?
Fathers in our state do not automatically have the right to custody or visitation with their child. To access these rights, you must first establish your paternity of the child. Then, you can petition the court for child custody or parenting time — even if the child’s biological mother does not agree with you to have these rights. Because the legal process regarding fathers’ rights is very complicated, and because courts often favor mothers over fathers, you should work with a competent family lawyer.
What Are My Rights As A Grandparent?
As a grandparent, you have the right to petition the court for custody of your grandchild if their custodial parent is not a fit guardian. While Tennessee courts tend to grand preference to relatives over nonrelatives in custody cases, there is no guarantee that you will obtain custody of your grandchildren.
If your grandchild’s parent or parents decide to restrict your access to the children, you have the right to petition for visitation. However, this can be very difficult to obtain. A lawyer who understands grandparents’ rights can help you understand your rights in your individual circumstances.
Discuss Your Case In A Free Consultation
The attorneys at The Barnett Firm can help defend your rights to access with your child or grandchildren. Contact our office in Knoxville at 865-474-1028. You can also contact us online.