One of the most difficult situations in the realm of father's rights occurs when the birth couple is unmarried. In these situations, society tends to default to the biological mother for all decisions related to the birth and care of the child. Unfortunately, this can often lead to situations where a child is placed into adoptive homes--often against the will of the biological father.

Putative Father Registries exist in most states, and serve to help protect the rights of unmarried fathers in regards to the future care of their child. If you're a father that's currently in an unmarried relationship with a child on the way, there are a few key things you need to understand in order to protect your rights.

What Are Putative Father Registries? …show more content…
Most states use these registries to determine which children are eligible for adoption, and to ensure that fathers are notified when adoption procedures begin.

How Do Fathers Register?

Typically, any notary public can enter a father into the registry. All that is required is that you visit a notary and make the claim that you have had intercourse with the birth mother and could be the child's biological father. Usually, this can happen at any time prior to the birth of the child, and up to 30 days after birth.

The important thing to know is that your entry into the registry isn't a guarantee of fatherhood. You're merely stating that you could be the father of the child. No proof of fatherhood is required to enter into the registry.

Why Should Fathers Register?

The most important function of the Putative Father Registry is to guarantee that fathers are informed if a child is placed into adoption processes. The registry doesn't guarantee that a father will have any legal recourse to block an adoption--it merely guarantees notification. It's up to the father to take the appropriate action with the help of a legal professional at that