Topics

Facts:

1. I am father (in CA) of infant (in MD).  

2. Mother and I were never married.  I live with my wife who knows the situation.  She supports my having a relationship with the child, and would like to participate in visits.

3. Mother and I agree that I should and will be a part of child's life.  I saw him in the hospital after birth, acknowledged paternity, am on the birth certificate, and mother cooperates with arrangements for me to visit.

4. BUT, mother opposes any involvement of my wife in visits, and refuses any visit arrangement which could permit my wife to see the child.  She thinks that because we were never married, she has this right.

QUESTIONS regarding point 4:

1. Do I have a right to visit my child?

2. Does the mother have any right to restrict the conditions of these visits such that my wife cannot participate?  I have the impression that I have the right to take the child away from the mother's home for visits, and that I can include anyone I want who is not abusive or dangerous.

Do I have a right to include my wife in visits with my son who is my child by another woman?

I have an 8-month-old son.  He is the child of someone with whom I had a relationship outside of my marriage, and I have remained in my marriage.  The mother supports my seeing my son, but she has refused any arrangement that would permit my wife to be part of the visits.  I feel that it would be best for my son if my wife knows him and can fully support my relationship with him, so that he does not feel like he is in some kind of war among the adults around him.

I believe that I have a right to visit with my son away from his mother's home, and that I have a right to include anyone in those visits who is not known to be abusive or dangerous to my son.  Is that correct?  

The mother is from another country and believes that because we were never married, she is "protected" in some way from allowing my wife to be involved.  Is there any difference between the rights of a divorced father, an unmarried father, and a father who was married to someone else when the child was born?