Legal Question in Family Law in California

No, for the simple reason that he has responsibilities, and with those responsibilities go rights. If you put father unknown on the paperwork at the hospital, it will be up to him to seek a paternity determination, but if he does and the DNA test shows the child is his, he will have parental rights - and responsibilities for support, etc. The policy of the State of California is that fathers be responsible for the children they create. Unless he harms the child, endangers it, or is otherwise such a horrible person that the child would be made a ward of the court if you were a divorced couple, he will have rights and responsibilities when either he or you obtain a determination of paternity.