[Loving-father]

My ex-girlfriend will not let me see my son due to the fact I'm a recovering addict. I've been clean for 18 months with the help of Methadone maintenance and weekly meetings. She is also in recovery her addiction. What rights do I have to see my son and how do I start proccedings?

[cdad]

GO to court and have yourself declared the legal father. One way is to ask the courts for a DNA test. It had to be court approved. Then once your determined to be the father of the child seek custody / visitation. Also be prepared to pay child support.

Congrats on staying clean.

[ScottGem]

As Califdad said, you have to be declared the legal father first. If this was not done, then you have no rights to that child.

On the other hand if you are on the birth certificate and acknowledged paternity, then that's the first part.

If the mother is refusing visitation, has a visitation schedule being ordered by the courts? If one WAS ordered, then you go back to the court to enforce it. If there was never a schedule ordered, then you have to go to court to establish one.

Most likely, you will start with supervised visits. Once you prove to the court you remain clean you may be able to get unsupervised visits.