How is custody decided with parents who were never married?

When parents share a child, or children, but were never married, problems oftentimes arise with respect to custody and parenting time in the event that the parents' relationship ends. Unless a father takes steps to establish paternity and to request that the court allocate parental rights and responsibilities, the mother is the only parents recognized under the law. Unfortunately, many parents wait until a problem arises to initiate the process of establishing paternity and establishing legal parental rights. 

In most instances, it is in the children's best interest to have two loving parents in their lives.