Understanding Child Custody Laws for Illegitimate and Legitimate Children
Illegitimate children are those conceived and born outside of a valid marriage. The laws surrounding parental custody and authority for these children are more straightforward – custody generally falls to the mother. This rule applies regardless of whether the child is a minor or not. However, the father retains visitation rights, a topic we will delve into later.
Shared Parental Custody over Legitimate Children
When it comes to legitimate children, parental authority and custody are typically shared between both parents. The Family Code decrees that both the father and mother have a mutual responsibility to exercise parental authority over their shared offspring.
If the parents separate, the court designates which parent will have authority. This decision takes into account various factors, with a key emphasis on the preference of a child over seven years of age, unless the selected parent is unfit. For children under seven, the mother generally retains custody unless the court finds compelling reasons for an alternate arrangement.
Custody Laws for Minor Children
As stated earlier, the law generally favors keeping a child under seven with their mother, unless there are significant reasons to rule otherwise. In any disputes about minor children’s custody, the primary consideration is always the child’s physical, educational, social, and moral welfare. The resources and moral situations of the contending parents are also taken into account.
Impact of Parental Disagreement, Death, or Absence on Child Custody
In scenarios where the parents disagree, the father’s decision usually prevails unless there’s a judicial order stating otherwise. If one parent is absent or deceased, the present or surviving parent continues exercising parental authority. In the event that both parents are absent, deceased, or unfit, substitute parental authority is given to the surviving grandparent.
Suspension and Termination of Parental Authority
Parental authority can be automatically suspended if a parent is convicted of a crime that entails a civil interdiction penalty. The authority can also be suspended by the court if the parent has been found to be excessively harsh, gives corrupting counsel, compels the child to beg, or subjects the child to lascivious acts.
Parental authority can be terminated permanently by court order in the event of the parents’ or child’s death, the child’s emancipation, or if a person exercising parental authority subjects the child to sexual abuse.
Visitation Rights of Non-custodial Parents
Visitation rights in family law refer to the legal privilege granted to a parent or relative who doesn’t have custody of a child to spend time with them on a regular schedule. The court determines the specifics of these rights. In certain cases, such as those involving violence against women and children, the father may be deprived of visitation rights.
Keep in mind that child custody laws can vary, so it’s crucial to consult with a family law professional to understand the specifics for your situation.
177 Responses
Good Day, Atty.! My son’s father’s name is N/A on his certificate of live birth. We are not married. What shall we do in order for my child to use the last name of his father? What are the ways to change the N/A entry on his certificate of live birth?Or it is better if we get married first before my boyfriend acknowledges our son? The only filiation that we have is immunization card.
Hi,
The father of my 4 year old daughter is french nationale. My daughters last name is under his surname. We initially planned to get married but decided not to pursue the marriage because I dont want to live in France. Now he would like to stop supporting his daughter because he said he already gave enough in the past for the child support. Does he gave in the past count for the child.support? My daughter will study now so Im struggling. Do i have rights to demand?
If ever po nasa abroad ang nanay pwede lang po ba itong iwan sa kanyang ina o sa lola?
hello po gusto ko mag palegal advice
Hiwalay po kami ng ama ng anak ko pero di po kami kasal and nauna narin syang ikasal sa iba tapos ako po kakasal ko nung 2018. So bale 11yrs kaming hiwalay ng expartner ko w/o any support po nya. Ngayon po gusto po naming isunod sa last name ng husband ko ang anak ko adoption na po kung baga. Ano po pwede namin gawin para po maisunod apelyedo nya at maadopt po sya ng legal ng husband ko?
Atty tanong ko lang po, kung ako po ang iniwan ng aking kinakasama at ayaw naman iwan ang address kung saan dadalahin ang anak ko may karapatan po ba ako na ikorte ang akibg kinakasama
meron po akong 2 anak. nasa wife ko po sila. may kinakasama pong lesbian ung wife ko and tinatago po nila sakin ung mga anak ko. hindi ko po alam kung saan sila ngaun nakatira. anu po ba pwede kong gawin?
Hello po atty magtatanong lang po sana ako. 2 years na kami hiwalay nang husband ko tapos ang aming nasa akin 4 years old na po ngayon anak kong babae. Dinadalaw niya naman minsan yung bata. Tanong ko lang po kapag 7 years na po ba yung anak namin makukuha ba niya ang custody ng bata? Kasi sabi niya kukunin daw niya yung bata sa akin kapag 7 years old na po ito.. Natatakot pa akong mawala sa akin yung anak ko.
Hi po gusto ko lng po malinawan.. kasal po kmi ng asawa ko at meron syang anak sa dati niang kinasama nasa magulang ng asawa ko ung bata dahil pare parehas kming out of the country at meron di magandang pag uugali ung bata nasagot at binabastos nia mga lolo at Lola nia at ang paraan lng ng asawa ko Ibigay muna sa dating kinasama ung bata at since 2012 asawa ko sumosuporta sa lhat pra sa bata at khit kusing wala bnigay ung ina ng bata kmi lahat nagbibigay kung anu gusto ng bata ang gusto lng nmin mangyari bigyang liksyon lng ung bata kaya bibigay muna nmin sa ina ngaun nanghihingi ng sustento ung ina at ayaw muna magbigay ng asawa ko pra makita nung bata ung pagkakamali nia at kung anu ung mawawala sa kanya… gusto lng nmin matuto ung bata sa mga pagkakamali niang nagawa sa mga lolo at Lola nia.. ayaw nmin xa umalis sa puder ng asawa ko kso Ito lng paraan pra di nia na mabastos lolo at lola nia… advice nmn po anu gagawin
Married ako 18 yrs na.but nakipag hiwalay ako 6yrs ago dahil may 3rd party .now may kinakasama na ang husband ko.may paraan ba na legal para wala na talaga kami pakikialaman for life? Dahil po ang annulment ay mahal ,pwede po ba kami gumawa ng sworn statement na hindi na kami makikialam sa isat isa specially sa lovelife ng bawat isa?
Gsto ko po sana humingi ng legal advice aboit s kinakasama ko
D po kmi kasal ng aswa ko may dalawa po kming anak tas nag karoon po sa ulit ng babae d din sila kasal tas ngaun ask ko lang p0 kung may habol parin kmi sa suporta para sa anak nya .d na p0 kasi sya nag bbgay
Hello po. Ask ko lang, kapag minor yung nanay at wala work, tapos ang nagsusuporta ay yung mother ng tatay ng bata kasi yung tatay wala matino trabaho kanino po mapupunta ang custody ng bata? May karapatan po ba kuhanin ng lola sa side ng tatay ng bata yung bata?
Gud am po, ask ko lng po sana may anak po kasi ako 4y/o isa po akong ofw. pwede ko po ba iwan sa mother ko ung anak ko? or sa ama nya dapat mapunta ung bata? hndi po ksi in good terms relationship nmin ng ama ng anak ko pero kasal po kami. salamat po sa kasagutan.
Hello po..ask lang po sana .hmh.d po kami kasal ng tatay ng mga anak ko pero nasa kanya po ang mga anak namin..ku g gusto ko clang kunin mkukuha ko po ba cla ng walang problema??
Question Po plz Yung asawa ko Po may babae and na kuha ko Po copy NG conversation nila thru messenger Po tas Po may video pa Po kasal Po kami simbahan ano Po pwede Kung gawin?? Gusto ko Po mag pa annulled?? Tas Wala Po sustento sa anak pahirapan pa hingin 1k pa nag aaral anak nmen sa private Wala Po ako work Sa ngayon pls help me
Ako po may asawa one year palang kami kasal pero nangaliwa sya at may anak po kami dalwang taon at nasakin yun pero young asawa ko sakin parin umuuwi pero may balak sila mag sama ano pwede ko gawin tungkol dito wala din sya binibagy na pinansyal na pera bumibili lang sya ng mga gatas at daiper ang sahod nya nasa mother nya po na dapat naskin kasi asawa nyako
Atty. Paano po ba ang pag adopt ng anak? Kasi gustong i adopt ng asawa ko yung anak ko sa pagka dalaga. And yung tatay ng anak ko is never naman nagbigay ng sustento and wala komunikasyon since birth sa baby ko 4 years ng kinikilalang ama ng anak ko yung asawa ko and hanggang ngayon hirao kami maka hanao ng atty. Na mag aayos n adoption nya. Malapit na kasing mag grade 1 anak ko. D pa ok yung sure name nya. I mean d pa po na isunod sa apilyedo ng asawa ko ngayon.
Pano po Kung Hindi po kasaL Pero ung Bata nasa 1/10months sya Pero nsa nanay po siya ngaun pano po pag dumating na sa 7years old na ung Bata ano ang mangyayari pwede pa din pa ba sa nanay mapunta o sa Tatay na?
Atty. Tanong qu lang po ung kua qu kc namatay nung july 04,2018 taz bago sya namatay sinabi nya kina papa na samin ung bata titira kc wla syang tiwala dun sa ka live in nya. After ng funeral nya naghanap ng trabaho ag ina ng bata pra daw matustusan ag pangangailangan ng anak nya pero d nagtagal or mga 1 1/2 month pa lang nagka bf na sya at nagpabuntis tapos nagpakasal sya nung dec. 2018…kinuha nya ag bata samin na 2yrs. Old at ayaw ng ipahiram samin. At ngayon d naman nya naalagaan ng maayos ag bata gusto naming makuha ung bata at samin titira kc nagwoworry na kc kami pg pinapagalitan nya ung bata nanginginig sa takot baka matrauma ag bata…marami na ding kgat ng insikto at d ok ag sitwasyon nya dun naawa na kmi sa bata..mula noong baby pa yan kc ako ang nag alaga ih..plsss atty. Humihingi ako ng advice kung anu ag dpat gawin kapatid po ako ng kua kung namatay.bka din kc saktan sya ng step father nya ih umiinom yun ng alak ih