29 Sep Fathers’ Rights During the Pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many things that were once the norm flipped on their heads. With all the uncertainty in the world and the additional dangers of travel, one essential function the pandemic impacted was co-parenting. As the fallout from COVID-19 continues, families are asking about fathers’ rights during the pandemic and what to expect.
Rights That Fathers Have
Fathers have rights to their children just as mothers do—these may differ on a case-by-case basis, depending on where you live and what arrangement you made originally through the courts or mediation. However, these are the basic expectations fathers have:
- The right to custody: The ability to have a say in the important decisions regarding the child throughout their childhood and lives.
- The right to visitation: The ability to see and spend time with the child, even if the child does not live with the father primarily or at all.
- The right to support: The ability or requirement to financially support the child.
How COVID-19 Affected Parental Rights
Especially at the beginning of the pandemic, while we still knew so little was about the virus and vaccinations were not available yet, many parents grew concerned about exposure during travel or from either parent. Parents cannot refuse visitation from the other parent due to fear of exposure to the virus.
Parents may request a modification to change any custody or visitation arrangements, if they feel the other parent is truly putting their child in harms’ way but unless this process is complete, the current settlement is still in place. This is also true of child support payments; unless there is a modification requested through the court, these payments are still due in the same amount and at the same rate as before the pandemic.
If you are concerned about how the pandemic affects your settlement regarding your children or you think it needs a modification during these unprecedented times, contacting a skilled and experienced father’s rights attorney in Washington state is the best course of action. Contact us today to learn more about a father’s rights during the pandemic.