Ruling on Paternity Awaited in Michigan

As the Detroit News explains, under current Michigan law:

If the mother is not married, the biological father is responsible for providing support. If the mother is married, then the husband is responsible for the child, not the biological father. Only in divorce can the husband cede his parental rights to the child.

Across the nation, states define fathers in different ways. But most states refuse to guarantee biological fathers a role in the lives of children born or conceived during another couple’s marriage, said Jeanne M. Hannah, a family attorney in Traverse City.

This interpretation of paternity is being challenged in the Michigan courts, with a ruling being awaited eagerly by many.  Read the full article here.

MR