Paternity must be established in order for the father of a child to seek physical custody, legal custody or parenting time with a child born outside of marriage. In the absence of establishing paternity, a father has no custodial rights, or the ability to exercise parenting time, unless the parties agree otherwise. Minnesota law provides two ways for a father to establish paternity of a child: (1) a signed Recognition of Parentage; or (2) a court order. A Recognition of Parentage ("ROP") is signed by the parents of a child, at the hospital, shortly after the child's birth. The execution of a ROP establishes the father-child link, allowing a father to move a court for physical « Continue »