Can you get custody rights even if you are not the biological parent in Michigan?
Click here to watch this video on YouTube.
Learn more about custody rights.
A person who is not related by blood to a child is referred to as a non-biological parent. A non-biological parent can nonetheless acquire legal custody rights even though they are not the child’s biological parent by formally adopting the child. This is so that a non-biological parent can obtain complete and legal custody of a kid through a legitimate process.
Michigan Child Custody Laws
Michigan laws are designed to ensure that both parents are involved in the life of a child. Some states proceed with joint custody based on the assumption that shared custody is in the child’s best interest. However in Michigan, it mandates that the courts can only recommend joint custody as a possibility and can only take this arrangement into consideration if one or both parents ask for it.
For non-biological parents, particularly if you are not the legal father of a child but you want to have custody, Michigan’s 1956 law titled the Paternity Act explains that even if a man and the child are not biologically related, he will still have all of the rights and obligations of a parent as that child’s legal father if the child was conceived or born at any point during the marriage.
Joint Custody Arrangements in Michigan
According to Michigan’s Joint Custody Law, a child’s continued closeness to both parents is presumed to be in their best interests. If the parents are able to agree, the court must enforce it unless it is judged that doing so would not be in the child’s best interests.
With shared legal custody, both parents can decide on the child’s extracurricular activities, religious upbringing, healthcare, and education. If the parents share physical custody, they will spend time with the children together, however, it may not always be equally divided. However if the court chooses to give one parent primary physical custody of the kid, a judge will draft a visitation schedule for the other parent.
Filing a Motion/Complaint for a Child Born Out of Wedlock
A father would need to present a motion or complaint before a judge in Michigan Courts in order to have parental rights established. The mother, the father who has been granted paternity, or the purported biological father may all submit to this motion.
In order to spend time with the child, the non-biological father may want to acquire parental rights. Some of these cases may become an emotional roller coaster, so it is crucial to have a stable lawyer in helping you to navigate this process.
Get Legal Help from a Michigan Child Support Attorney
If you need help understanding Michigan child support laws, contact a local child support lawyer. Goldman and Associates Law Firm guarantees the best legal services with the best potential outcome. Contact us for a free consultation. Book an appointment today!