Single mothers who are struggling to get financial support from the child's father should understand their rights in these situations. The problem for many single mothers is that they lack the means to effectively support their child without assistance from the father.
Other single mothers may simply want to hold the father responsible for supporting the child. For information regarding child support issues, single mothers should speak with a qualified attorney in their area.
Some single mothers may find themselves having no other choice but to seek government assistance in caring for their child. When this is the case, the government may seek welfare reimbursement from the father. A paternity test may be ordered to establish that a person is actually the father before moving forward with a lawsuit to obtain reimbursement.
Single mothers who do not receive welfare may still obtain a court ordered paternity test to establish that a person is actually the father of the child. Once this is done, it is the mother's right to collect child support for her child. The amount of child support ordered may vary depending on several factors including the time the father spends with the child as stated in court ordered documents.
If the father is not paying the child support he is supposed to, the mother may turn to the District Attorney's office to enforce child support payment. This may take several weeks or months in some cases.
State law may vary a bit in each state, but the key to forcing child support payment is to establish paternity through a court ordered paternity test in cases where the father does not acknowledge that a child is his. Single mothers with further questions regarding mothers' rights are encouraged to speak with an experienced family law attorney in their area.About the Author: