[Hatehim]

I had my daughter 3 months ago. Her father is in prison. I mistakenly put his last name down for her but his name isn't on the birth certificate. I don't want him anywhere near my daughter and don't want him having any rights to her. How do I go about making sure he has no rights and making sure she never has to go visit him in that awful place? I just want the best for my daughter and he's not it.

[ScottGem]

Sorry but you should have considered that before you had sex with him. He is the father and that gives him rights whether you listed him as the father on the birth certificate or gave her his name or not.

You don't say why he is in jail. The only way you might be able to terminate his rights is if you can prove he is a danger to your child (or you marry and have the step father adopt). But proving he is the a danger may be difficult.

For the time being, your child does not have a legal father. He will have to go to court to assert his rights, so you don't have to do anything until he goes to court. However, if you seek public assistance to help raise the child, then they will require that you identify the father and they will go after the father for child support. This will establish him as the legal father.