Custody and child support

Parents are responsible for the custody, care and support of their children. Parents must pay child support for their children, whether or not they live together.  Each parent has custody and timesharing rights if the parents do not reside with each other. However, if parents do not properly care for their children, the state may remove the children from the parents’ care, regardless if the parties live together or apart.

Paternity

If you are the parent of a child out of wedlock, you still have all the rights and responsibilities of a parent.  Either the mother or the father of a child may establish Paternity in District Court in the County where the child lives.  If a child receives public assistance, the state may file a paternity action to obtain support for the child from the parent(s).

If you are a male, you have the right to register with the Putative Father Registry.  A putative father is a male who may be a child’s father but whom is not married to the child’s mother, or whom paternity has not been established.  If you believe you may be the father of a child, including an unborn child, you may register with the Putative Father Registry through the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.  The purpose of the Registry is to determine the name and address of a father whose name and address have not been disclosed by the mother of a child who is being placed for adoption so that the father may be made aware of the adoption proceedings.