Please help Reginald Finley get reunited with his son Donovan.

UPDATE!:

Thanks for all of your help! We are now battling in court. You can read the results of the bench trial here: http://www.weloveyoudonovan.com/?p=523

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Original Petition:

A number of fathers in America shirk their responsibility and want nothing to do with their children. The system is set up to go after dead beat fathers and get the financial support these children need. But what about the mothers that purposefully keep their children away from the fathers? Do fathers have rights? Usually yes, but not in this case.

Reginald Finley Sr is the loving father of Donovan. Donnie's mother has successfully managed to keep Reginald out of Donovan's life due to a loop-hole in the legitimation process in Georgia. He currently pays child support to the state, but is not recognized by the state as Donovan's legal father.

In 1996, Donovan's mother, was separated and divorcing her husband. She and Reginald began a relationship out of which Donovan was conceived. The mother unfortunately, did not know who the father was and so therefore did not place Reginald on the Birth Certificate. As the mother was still legally married, Donovan became the legitimate child of that marriage.

After the blood results positively identified Reginald as the father, he petitioned to the mother to have legitimation established. The mother refused any assistance in the matter and moved away taking his son out of the city and subsequently, out of state. Since Reginald received no assistance from the mother and husband, to recognize Reginald as the legitimate father, he was advised there was not much to be done.

It has been 12 years of frustration as Reginald has tracked them down time and time again to establish legitimation and visitation, but his cries for help have landed upon deaf ears.

The mother has since remarried and is believed to be back in Georgia. Reginald is the father of Donovan. The mother is taking advantage of a loop-hole in the system by not letting her child's biological father see his son. Donovan is also being stripped of relationships with his siblings, uncles, cousins and grand parents. His grandmother is not doing well and may not last the next few years.

We beg of the state and friends of the state to please help Reginald Finley Sr establish legitimation and to finally have Donovan in his life and Reginald in his. Even more so, we hope that the state recognizes that this law must change. Legitimation and visitation should immediately be recognized regardless of the marital status of the mother.

A complete log of Reginald's plight can be read at: http://www.weloveyoudonovan.com

You can also contact Reginald at: reggiefinleysr@yahoo.com

Thank you,