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Speak Up! - View Question #21455 |
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Question: i was 14 when i got pregnant with my son. the father was 19 at the time. my mom knew before i got pregnant that i was having sex with him but now that i have a child with him she will not allow him to come see me or our son. she believes that she can get the rights of my child. also. i did not put the father on the birth cert. because she said the state would press charges. What are my rights, what are the fathers rights, and what rights does my mom have in this? is this a good qualifacation to get emancipated?
Answer: Your mother cannot legally keep the father from seeing the child. He has just as many parental rights as you do. Can she keep you from seeing him? Yes, until you are 18 she can restrict who you spend time with.
Even though you are a minor, you still have the right to make decisions for your child.
Until recently, Arizona did not allow emancipation of minors. However, the Arizona legislature passed a law that goes into effect August 12, 2005 allowing minors to become emancipated under certain qualifications. Read more about the qualifications for emancipation>>
Solely being pregnant without meeting the other requirements in the statute will not constitute being emancipated. You must meet the rest of the requirements in the statute.
There are many other requirements and rules involved in the emancipation process. Contact the Arizona Children's Law Center at 602-258-3434 x 266 for more direct legal advice for your specific situation.
You may want to look into counseling provided by the court to determine a parenting plan that will be in the best interests of your child.
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