Hey this is my first time on here. I live in South Carolina. I have set up an appointment with an attorney for April 16. I have two small children ( 4 & 1) with my ex we have never been married. I have police reports regarding his mental state he threatens suicide even has attempted to cut his neck which I have proof on police reports and recorded messaged he has left on my answering machine. He doesn't call and check in on the kids or even to bother to see them on opportunities of them being at his fathers house. I know when he sees I am getting an attorney this is going to be a different ball game. What are your rights to your children when we are not married? Is this a pretty clean cut case with all of my written and verbal proof? If he works half the time and gets paid under the table (tax free) what do I do going about child support?

I would say it should be clear cut ( but with family courts god only knows what they will decide at some point and time)

First of course mothers will nromally get the children unless there are seroius reasons not to. But most likely he can fight and get some visitation. You can and should fight to be sure it is supervised if he does get any.

You will get of course child support from him, on that, if you can show the house he lives in, give them bank account info, and the such, to show he is spending more money than he spends.

And of course it never hurts to mention to his boss paying him under the table how sad it would be for you to report them to the IRS and to the Labor board.