Fathers’ Rights in Butler County, PA Custody Cases

Ultimately, fathers have the same rights that mothers do in Pennsylvania. The state focuses on the children’s best interests, with an emphasis on overall safety, and the best-interest factors are gender neutral. Despite this, certain circumstances tend to increase a mother’s chances of receiving more parenting time in child custody cases. A prime example is each parent’s level of involvement in raising the children so far. Statistically, mothers fill the primary caregiver role more often than men do, which highlights the importance of protecting your rights as a parent moving forward.

Our experienced Butler County child custody attorneys at McMorrow Law, LLC, are on your side.

If You Were Not Married to Your Child’s Mother at the Time of Their Birth

When a mother has a child, she automatically becomes the child’s legal parent. If you were married to your child’s mother at the time of their birth, you also automatically became their legal parent.

If, however, you weren’t married to your child’s mother at the time of their birth, you must establish paternity. If your child’s mother disagrees with your parental status, it can take a long time to resolve, which can complicate your efforts to establish your rights as a father. 

Child Custody in Butler County

Pennsylvania addresses child custody in terms of legal and physical custody.

Legal Custody

Legal custody assigns decision-making authority for primary parenting topics, including your children’s education, medical care, religious upbringing, and extracurriculars. Legal custody can be shared or sole.

Physical Custody

Physical custody covers day-to-day care of the children and determines when the children are with one parent or the other. One parent can take on the primary custodial role while the other receives visitation, or physical custody can be shared more evenly. 

Best Interest Factors in Pennsylvania 

The best interest factors that guide child custody determinations in Pennsylvania focus primarily on safety and the children’s overall health and well-being. Prime examples include the following:

• Which parent is more likely to ensure the children’s safety
• Any present or past abuse and any concerns related to abuse of alcohol or drugs
• Each parent’s willingness and ability to care for the children and to engage in effective co-parenting
• Each parent’s ability to maintain stability in the children’s lives in relation to home, education, and community

Your seasoned child custody lawyer will build a strong case that highlights your commitment to solid parenting, a key way to bolster your rights as a parent.

Our Experienced Butler County Child Custody Lawyers Can Help

Our dedicated Butler County child custody attorneys at McMorrow Law, LLC, will leave no stone unturned in protecting your rights as a father and achieving the best possible outcome on your behalf. Learn more by contacting us online or calling our firm at 412-407-2816 today.