Legal Question in Family Law in Kentucky

Putting someone's name on the birth certificate means absolutely nothing. When a child is born outside of marriage, paternity has to be established in court for the father to have rights and for him to be ordered to pay child support. Establishing paternity often will involve a DNA test. All the child's father needs to do is go down to the county attorney's office and fill out the paperwork to get the ball rolling. Once he established paternity, he could file a petition for custody. Both parents have equal standing under the law, and custodial determinations are at the court's discretion, based on the best interests of the child.