We never married — how do I establish parentage?
CAluz_g1 month ago
Father is on the birth certificate but we were never married. He wants custody time. Do we need a court case to make custody official?
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✓ Verified answer from a licensed attorney — shown first
If the father signed a Voluntary Declaration of Parentage (VDOP / form CS-909) at the hospital, paternity is already legally established. But establishing parentage and establishing custody are two different things — you still need a court order for custody and visitation. The case to file is a Petition to Establish Parental Relationship (FL-200). Even when you agree, getting a court order matters because school enrollment, travel consent, and medical decisions all become messier without one.
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Please readThis is a community space for sharing personal experience — it is not legal advice, and posts here are not from Lawma or your attorney. We strongly encourage you to post under an anonymous handle, keep questions general, and avoid posting private details of your active case. For advice about your own situation, message your attorney.