Fatherhood and Adoption: What You Need to Know

Questioner

my girlfriend's ex has given up paternity of his daughter. and i am the boyfriend of his ex. now the question is if something happens to my girlfriend can i keep the child with me because the child doesn't even want to see her real daddy anymore, and sees me as the father she is 8 years old

Lawyer

In order to prevent future problems in the event of your girlfriend's death, it is better to acknowledge or adopt her daughter. Adoption does require 3 consecutive years of cohabitation with your girlfriend. However, if you neither acknowledge nor adopt, the child does have the right to contact with you if there is a close personal relationship between you and her. Such a close personal relationship can be considered to exist if her real father has denied his paternity; the child sees you as the father; you share a household with the child's mother.