Parental rights for unwed biological fathers challenged

A Michigan man is challenging a state law that says he cannot demand visitation or pay child support for a child that is his, but was born while the mother was married to another man.

Today’s Detroit News article looks at the case of Daniel Quinn, a 32-year-old man who is the biological father of his 3-year-old daughter.  The girl’s mother was married – and still is – and according to Michigan law, Quinn has no parental standing because if the mother of the child is married at the time of birth to another man, then the husband is responsible for the child, not the biological father.

Quinn told the paper he is just looking to be involved in his daughter’s life. 

“I’m a good dad,” he said. “Why should I not have rights to my child? Everything I do is for her.”

Quinn is currently awaiting a ruling from the Michigan Court of Appeals on whether he has paternal standing.

What about you? Have any readers had similar experiences you would like to share?

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One comment on “Parental rights for unwed biological fathers challenged

    Rights of Unwed Biological Fathers
    My husband is in a similar situation. He dated a woman for a few months and then they broke up. She learned that she was pregnant and never told my husband (this all happened before we met). She married another man while she was pregnant. She did not tell my husband about the baby until over a year after he was born. She then allowed him access to the child and he has been a part of that child’s life for 6 years now. However, he is at the mercy of the mother, who is border-line neglectful. She is currently only allowing visitation 2 days a month. She has recently divorced her husband and is now pregnant with another man’s child and is planning to marry him in a few months. My husband’s child wants to see him more often, but his mother will not allow it. What can my husband do?

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