Legal Question in Family Law in California

The exact same rights, and responsibilities, as if you had been married. The law recoginzes no difference between children and their parents based on whether the parents were married, only lived together, or never even lived together. Rights to custody and visitation, and obligations for support, are exactly the same.

Mr. McCormick is correct. If he files a Petition for Paternity and establishes that he is the father, he can obtain visitation, custody, and support orders just like marriage parties in a divorce proceeding.