"Werebat" wrote in message
news:tpOpe.28711$iU.23522@lakeread05...


Bob Whiteside wrote:
"Werebat" wrote in message
news:lDLpe.28704$iU.23146@lakeread05...

I'd be fine with that if the wording didn't imply that the father is the
only parent who is financially responsible for the child, and/or if Mom
also had some document she were required to sign in order to get her
name on the birth certificate -- a document that specifically required
ber to agree to be financially responsible for the child.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander.


You are overlooking one significant fact. The mother signed the child's
birth certificate at the hospital and her doctor signed it too as a
witness
to the birth. And by operation of state law as the documented parent of
the
child she has financial responsibility for the child, so no additional
declaration by her is necessary.

Then have the declaration of paternity reflect that, and not imply that
the father and the father alone is responsible for the child's financial
well-being. Come on -- this isn't rocket science, people.

Take a look at RI Statute 11-9-5 Cruelty or Neglect of Children. The
statute includes a long list of offenses against children. One of the
offenses is for the person with custody or control of a child to be charged
with failure to "pay the reasonable charges for support of the child." If
that is not a way of implying the need for financial responsibility from an
unmarried mother with custody for the well being of her child I'd sure don't
know what else it could mean.