Paternal Rights of a Teen Father in Louisiana

• Louisiana recognizes the rights of fathers of any age.father with baby image by Pavel Losevsky from Fotolia.com
  
  In the state of Louisiana, teenage fathers have the same rights to access to their biological children as do adult fathers. The law recognizes a father's right to bond with his children just as it does the mother's. If faced with teen fatherhood in Louisiana, there are several options to consider in regards to establishing parental rights.
  
  

Acknowledgement As The Putative Father

• The state of Louisiana allows unmarried biological fathers the opportunity to voluntarily acknowledge their paternity, regardless of the age of the father. This is called the Putative Father Registry. This registry is in place to record the name and address of any man who wants to declare that he is the biological father of a child and this service is offered at no charge. By enrolling in this registry, the filing of the man's name as the father creates the legal presumption that the man is the father of the child and affords the man's participation in legal matters in regards to the child. It does not, however, guarantee that the man's name will be placed upon the birth certificate.
  
  

Protection Of Substantial Relationship

• When a father has developed an ongoing and substantial relationship with a child by contributing to the care and financial well being of the child, Louisiana recognizes his right to participate in the child's continued upbringing. This is determined by the courts on a case by case basis, and the age of the biological father is not a contributing factor.
  
  

The Rights To Custody Or Visitation

• In order for an unmarried biological father of a child to legally obtain formal visitation or custody of a child in the state of Louisiana, it is necessary for the father to establish paternity through the use of genetic testing. This is primarily done if there is a question regarding paternity and the mother does not acknowledge the man as the biological father. However, if the mother is married to the man in question, he is legally assumed to be the father.