Can I deny visitation even though we have no child custody agreement?

Question Detail

Me and my ex-boyfriend have no legal custody agreement for our four month old. I am the custodial parent, and he signed the birth certificate and now wants a DNA test. Can I deny him visitation, and if I do will it reflect badly on me in court later?

Answer

If there is no custody/visitation order in place, than visitation should be agreed upon by both parties. The court looks at the “best interest” of the child when making custody/visitation orders. Therefore, if you are going to deny him visitation, you should have a good reason or else it will reflect badly upon you in court. You should help facilitate contact between both your child and the child’s father. You should file a motion with the court for custody and visitation orders. Your ex-boyfriend may request a DNA test, but if you truly believe he is the father, there shouldn’t be an issue with this request.