Legal Question in Family Law in Connecticut

child custody question

I am 25, and pregnant by a man i was in a relationship with for about a year. the relationship ended when he was caught by me using both pot and cocaine. he has a prior arrest for pot possession when he was 23. he is now 27. I am now concerned because i don't want my child around the father solely due to the drug use. he has obviously claimed to be done with it before, esp. during our 1 year relationsihp. i was wondering what options I have. I was told not to put his name down on the birth certificate. the only problem is that while he has not contact with me now, he says he will when the baby is born cause he will be a father and take the baby from me. i have not filed for child support, or put his name down on any papers as the father hoping he will stay gone if i don't go after him for child support. what else can i do to protect my child?


Asked on 10/26/03, 1:28 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Linda Subbloie Linda A. Subbloie, Esq.

Re: child custody question

Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do if he is the biological father. To keep him away from the child you have a very heavy burden to prove that he is unfit, and unfit permanently. Although using drugs may qualify as unfitness, if he enters rehab or stopped using, he would probably be given visitation. He would have to be in very bad shape for a very long time to have his rights as a father terminated. He could even be given supervised visitation in the mean time.

Even if you don't put his name on anything, he could request blood tests to prove he is the biological father. However, he would be responsible for child support if he is the father.

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Answered on 10/27/03, 9:54 am


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