Legal Question in Family Law in Washington

A Father's rights...

My brother has a 14 month old son that has lived with his mother ( my brother's ex girlfriend), she is a drug addict with no stable housing, no income and is now in jail... My brother has not been able to find his son or the mother for the past 2 months but now finds the baby w/ some friends of hers whom she hand wrote ''temporary custody'' to while she's in jail.... What rights does my brother have as the father to the child? It would be better the baby be with family rather than strangers, does he have any rights over the friends with ''temporary custody'' or is this an issue to be settled only with a custody battle?


Asked on 2/12/08, 3:55 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys

Christopher Steuart IT Forensics, Inc.

Re: A Father's rights...

What documentation does he have that he is the father. The general rule is that a either parent has equal claim to a authority relating to the child. If paternity has not been established he could initiate a paternity action and ask for temporary orders.

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Answered on 2/13/08, 1:43 am
Christopher Steuart IT Forensics, Inc.

Re: A Father's rights...

What documentation does he have that he is the father? The general rule is that a either parent has equal claim to a authority relating to the child. If paternity has not been established he could initiate a paternity action and ask for temporary orders.

Read more
Answered on 2/13/08, 1:43 am


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