Do Live-In Partners Get Legal Influence Over the Lives of the Children?

Table of Contents

Related Posts


Different Types of Families

All families are different. It’s common for children to be raised in blended families, when both partners have children from previous relationships, or by gay and lesbian couples who are building a family of their own.

Challenges with Multiple Parental Figures

However, when there are a lot of people involved in raising children, things can get complicated, especially when the adults in the household are not married. A non-custodial parent might be annoyed that his or her ex-spouse’s live-in partner is helping choose doctors, schools, and making other decisions typically made by a child’s parents. The non-custodial parent would likely want to take action to ensure his or her child’s well-being.

Legal Considerations for LGBT Parents

When it comes to LGBT parents, an unmarried lesbian couple might have a biological child born to one of the women, or an unmarried gay couple might have fallen in love after one of them had already adopted a child. The partner who is neither the biological parent nor the adoptive parent in both instances might be wondering what legal influence they have over the child, if any.

Legal Parents and Custody Rights

In Virginia and most other states, a legal parent is a person who is legally recognized, through birth or adoption, as a child’s parent. The legal parents, therefore, are the only ones with rights to custody of a child and possess the authority to make decisions about the child’s health, education, and overall well-being.

Custody in Divorce and Live-In Partners

Divorced couples with children often have joint legal custody, where both can make decisions about health and other important circumstances, or sole legal custody, where only one parent has that decision-making power. A live-in partner, therefore, does not have any legal authority to make decisions regarding a child, even if he or she is considered a parental figure in the home. The live-in partner cannot consent to medical care or have rights to visitation in the event that the relationship comes to an end, or if the legal parent should die. In other words, the live-in partner has no legal influence.

Seeking Legal Assistance for Custody Issues

If your ex-spouse’s live-in partner is making decisions about your child’s overall well-being, speak to a family law attorney with experience in unique custody issues.

Gaining Legal Rights as a Live-In Partner

If you are in a partnership and want legal rights to the child, take steps to legally adopt the child if possible. A family law attorney who understands the adoption process can help make it happen.

Contact DiPietro Family Law Group

The experienced family law attorneys at the DiPietro Family Law Group have decades of experience handling all types of family law matters and are here to help you. Contact one of the DiPietro family law attorneys today to schedule a consultation with a caring professional at (888) 530-4374.

Other Posts in: