Legal Question in Family Law in Virginia

I was wanting to know what I could do about my daughter. I was proven the father of her on May 26, 2009 by a DNA test through Pulaski County Court in Virginia. I have only seen her once which was last summer and she is 8 years old now and she does not know I am her real father. She lives with her mother and her mothers husband in West Virginia. There has not been any legal custody arrangements made by a court. I do pay child support and I am current. So I was wanting to know what rights do I have to her, if any, or how I need to go about getting rights to her with her living out of state. Also, the mother is a heavy drug user and keeps my daughter in an unhealthy living environment. I went to Mercer County Court in Princeton West Virginia and they told me the only thing I could do was pay $300.00 to petition the court and risk losing my money if the judge decided not to hear it. What should I do?


Asked on 3/26/12, 5:10 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

So, start simple by suing in the appropriate West Virginia Court for visitation rights with your daughter. And, bring along a certified copy of the Virginia order which found you to be the natural father of the subject child to attach to your petition.

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Answered on 3/26/12, 8:40 pm


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