Do fathers have the same rights as mothers?

As a parent, you want what’s best for your child. Is living with his or her mother in Massachusetts the best option? Will the court think so just because she’s the mother and because she saw him or her a few hours more each day? These are questions you may have and that suggests that you need to protect your rights as a father, too.

If you’re fighting for your rights as a father, then you probably wonder if men really tend to get the same rights as women. Some people have argued in the past that it’s not the case, even though parents should be equals in the eyes of the law and are equal under Massachusetts state and federal laws.

It can be true that in some cases, it could be harder for fathers to obtain custody of a child. This is partially due to the fact that mothers tend to spend more time at home with the children, so the relationship is kept intact to prevent unnecessary stress. Now, courts have had to look at the way they treat these cases, because fathers who have been the sole or primary custodians of their children have spoken up about the unspoken rule that mothers tend to obtain custody.

A story of one area in North Dakota had drawn attention to this matter, because people had accused the court system of favoring mothers over fathers. One woman said that when she was getting a divorce, she was told that she’d automatically get custody of her children just for being female. These are the kinds of things that need to be looked out for, because it’s not fair or legal.

Courts need to base their decision for custody rights on facts, not on gender. An attorney can help you fight for those rights.

Source: Valley News Live, “Some Argue Dads Don’t Get Same Custody Rights As Moms,” Nicole Johnson, accessed July 14, 2015