Legal Question in Family Law in Washington

Re: paternity test, adoption, unmarried fathers rights

I would premise my response by first wanting to know why your son wants to know if the child is his? If he wants to know because he wants to keep the child in case it is his, then he should immediately bring a paternity action, before the child is born, to protect his right to seek custody.

Upon birth, the child and your son will be tested to see if they are father and son, by way of a DNA test, and if your son is the father, then the adoption will be halted, at least temporarily. At that point, if mom still does not want the child, but dad does, then we could work something out that gives him full custody.

On the other hand if after it is discovered that your son is the father, mom may change her mind and want to keep the child as well, which will put your son on the path to a more traditional legal dispute over custody, visitation, and child support.

Best of luck, and if you feel you need further consultation, I provide a free telephone consultation of up to 30 minutes.