What are my rights as an expectant father?

OHIO LAWS REGARDING FATHERHOOD
If you are not married to a young woman and she becomes pregnant, she alone, without any input from you whatsoever, can decide to:

• have an abortion
• keep the child and force you to pay child support

As the biological father, you do have rights concerning the adoption process. You must:
• sign a form called a surrender giving permission for your partner to place your child with an adoptive family.
If you do not have a relationship with the mother any longer, you still must be made aware of her plans and every reasonable effort must be made to contact you and alert you to the plan being made to place your child in an adoption process.

If the mother decides to keep and raise the baby, after he or she is born:
• The mother may name you as the father, or at a later time the child can name you as the father. You may be named as the father up to 5 years after the child reaches the age of 18.
• If you are named the father, you must enter an answer either admitting or denying that you are the father.
• If you deny that you are the father, the court will order you to submit to a blood test. The test can prove you to be the father up to a 99.9% certainty. If you are proven to be the father, you will be ordered to pay for the blood tests which can cost up to $200 or more.
• If you fail to admit or deny, a trial date will be set.
• The trial will go on with or without you, whether or not you take the blood test or appear at any of the hearings.
• At the trial, the mother must swear that:
1) she had sexual intercourse with you.
2) approximately 9 months later she had a baby.
3) she did not have sexual intercourse with any other man before, after,
or during the month of the baby's conception.

If the court finds you to be the father of the baby:
• You will be legally declared the father.
• You will be ordered to pay birth expenses which usually cost several thousand dollars.
• You will be ordered to pay back child support from the date of the baby's birth.
• You will be ordered to begin paying current child support which will automatically be deducted from your paycheck.
• You will be ordered to pay whether or not you are employed. The money you owe will build up and you will be required to pay when you do get a job.
• You will be ordered to pay for the child's extraordinary expenses which include medical, dental, surgical, hospital, optical, and pharmaceutical expenses.

You will be held responsible! You cannot escape legal responsibility by claiming:
• You are a minor.
• The mother had sex with other men.
• The mother told you she was on birth control or was unable to conceive.
• You had a prior agreement with the mother before the baby was born.

If you do not pay, the law can:
• Automatically attach your wages
• Make you sell your car or other personal property
• Put a lien on your house
• Intercept both your federal and state income tax refunds
• Put you in jail
• Order you to go to work

For the next 18 to 21 years of your life:
No matter what you earn
No matter where you run
Whether the mother is good or bad
Whether you visit your child or not
Whether or not the mother spends your money wisely
Whether or not the mother receives welfare benefits...
each week you will be required to pay the Child Support Agency a percentage of your income for the support of your child.

Throughout a pregnancy, we are committed to stand by you and help you adjust, learn, prepare, and become all you can be as a father. That is what Man To Man is here for. If the pregnancy ends in an abortion we are here to help you too.

Call the center for an appointment or e-mail us at the "Questions?" link
to talk, ask a question, or make an appointment

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