Definition

• A biological father, also known as the birth father, has the same parental rights as the child's biological mother. In North Carolina, a woman's husband, even if separated or divorced from her, is considered the legal father of any children she has, regardless of whether or not he is the biological father. In fact, a child can have three fathers: a biological father, a legal father and a putative father.
  
  

Custody

• In North Carolina, a father must file a declaration of paternity with his county child support agency if he wishes to pursue couirt proceedings for custody or visitation with his child. If the mother denies that he is the father of the child, the father must take a DNA test and a court will make a ruling based on the result.
  
  

Child Support

• A father pursuing the child's mother for child support may be entitled to regular payments. These are calculated using a formula that takes into consideration circumstances such as the income of both parents, their daily living expenses, where the child resides, with whom and for how many days per week.