Kentucky law does not recognize an unwed, biological father as the legal father of a child. This means that you would not have any legal rights to your child. This means that a Kentucky court will not entertain your requests for visitation or joint custody. On the other hand, the mother of your child cannot ask the court for child support.

In order to rectify the situation, it will be necessary to file a paternity action. This proceeding legally solidifies your place as the father of your child. Once this happens, you can then ask the court to determine matters including custody, visitation and child support. You will also enjoy all of the other rights and responsibilities that come with being legally recognized as a father.

In order to make sure that everything goes right, you may want to talk to a family law attorney. Any court proceeding requires filing documents and meeting deadlines. A mistake during the process could mean unnecessary delays or end up getting the case dismissed. In addition, once paternity is established, an attorney could help with making sure that you can be in your child’s life and that child support is ordered in the correct amount.