Birth Certificate

septmom11

My child's father is refusing to sign the birth certificate.  I know that since he is not signing I will have to go through court for a DNA test before i can get child support.  My question is can i add his name to the birth certificate, or can the courts add his name once he is the proven father.  i just want his name on there for my child's sake.

AmandaJordan1985

Get the DNA test for CS, leave him off the BC. Why oh why would you want his name on there for your "childs' sake" when he obviously doesn't want to be involved? Just a question...

JCGreene85

If he doesn't want his name on the BC leave it off. He has to pay child support whether his name is on it or not. Make him sign the paternity affidavit at the hospital (if he shows up) and then a dna test wont be necessary. 

Meliss227

In PA after the DNA test is done and signed off on by the judge you can send that order to the birth certificate department and they will add it. Some counties send it automatically and then they have to had it.

You could always check with your state's department that handles that and I'm sure they will explain it to you.

But like the pp asked why would you want to add it if he doesn't want to be on it?

If your child really wants it on there later in life they can do it. In PA if the father isn't recorded it says "information not recorded" and not "unknown"

Dani3679

Here in Ohio, once we had the paternity results back they automatically amended DD's birth certificate and put him on there.  I was not happy about that because now there will be hoops I need to jump through for some things even though he has only seen her 3 times in her life.  I had planned on putting him on there at some point in the future just for her sake, but I was pretty peeved they did it without any notification or anything.

septmom11

she will need her BC for many things as she gets older.  I dont want my child to feel badly about her father's name not being listed.  Not a definate descision to have him on there just wanted to get some insight and info about the process

sweetie0228

His name on the BC doesn't give him custody or visitation or anything.  IF anything it makes it easier to file for CS.  It's just a matter of government statistics of why he's on there at all anyway.

I wasn't married to my DD's biofather when she was born I wanted his name on there b/c I always wanted everyone to know I KNEW who the father of my child was.   That was my own hang up.

If he want's custody, legal or physical, if he wants visitation, he has to file for it and judge has to grant it to him. **if you were never married to him** 

Married parents automatically have custody rights.

septmom11

Thank you Sweetie!  That info is good to know.  I agree with your reasoning too.  I know hes her father and i guess it would be nice to have both names on there for her.  We arent and never were married.