Help Carter's Father Fund
Hello to all who took a little time out of their busy lives to learn a little bit about mine. My name is Aaron Kendrick.
I am the father of Carter James Kendrick he is 21 months old. Like most of you I am just a regular person and a first time father. When Carter was born I was in my twenties I had a full time job and attended school full time. Carter means the world to me, I knew the first time I held him in Atlanta Georgia on December 23rd 2010, that I would do everything humanly possible to make my relationship with him strong.
My parents divorced when I was three years old. My father was in and out my life, so I promised myself that I would always be there for Carter. Carter's mother and I were never married. But I wasn't going to let that stop me from being a positive influence, role model, great provider and a great father to my son.
Carter is the first grandson of my parents five grandchildren and he is my first child my only son. All I want is to be a great father who is allowed to be actively involved in his life.
Other than by marrying the mother of a child, legitimation is the only way that the father of a child born in the State of Georgia may establish legal rights to his child. Most fathers may petition the courts for custody and visitation rights, in a process called legitimation. Georgia law assigns all rights and custody to the mother. The mother is free to deny visitation until the father files a legitimation case and gets a court order. She may deny visitation even if the father is providing child support. So it is imperative for a father to file a case to establish rights to their child. .
An order of legitimation:
· Creates a father and child relationship legally between the petitioner and his child.
· Establishes that the child may inherit from this legal father and vice versa.
· Allows the legal father to be listed on the child's birth certificate as such.
· Is the only way that the father of a child born out of wedlock can be recognized as the legal father and therefore can petition for custody and visitation with this child.
On Feb 22nd 2011, I visited the local child support office in the county in which I reside to place myself on child support. Carter was two months old, I believed I was doing the responsible thing stepping up and providing for my son. My number one goal was to provide financially and emotionally establish a father son relationship early in his life. On June 15th 2011 I was ordered to pay $666.24 a month in child support. During that time there was no visitation established because Carter had to be legitimated. After numerous failed attempts to get approval from his mother to consent to legitimation I hired an attorney.
After spending $2700.00 on attorneys fees Carters mother moves out of state, my son still had not been legitimated and no visitation established. My attorney attempted for months to get the papers signed with no success. Now another $1500.00 is needed to attempt one more time to make it happen. No success but I continue to pay child support and have not seen my son.
May 2nd 2012, $2500.00 retains a more experienced attorney, finally a court date on July 27th 2012, August 31st 2012 a judge rules okay now I am going to get to see my son. I have made numerous calls to set up a visitation with no success. I have taken all of the steps the order required me to take to see my son. Unfortunately I have not seen Carter, I have exhausted all of my savings and am in great financial distress. I am asking for any help that anyone can give me for attorneys fees. and travel to see my son. He is located in Illinois and I must visit him six times before I can motion the court for non supervised visits. All help will be greatly appreciated and I will keep you posted on my success. Please help me make this happen Carter will be two Dec. 23rd 2012 and I would wish to be there to celebrate it with him. I am losing precious time and I desire not lose anymore. Thanks so much Carters' father, Aaron Kendrick.
