Father's rights are often ignored in divorce and child custody disputes. We hear stories about so-called "deadbeat dads," but it is less often that we hear about fathers who genuinely care for their children but are kept apart from them and are not allowed to have custody or visitation. Here's such a story and, frankly, it's probably going to dampen the eyes of at least a few of our New Jersey readers.

The father in this story met the mother of his child in 2005, when she was in the process of separating from her husband. They began dating and soon moved in together and began raising the woman's two children from her previous relationship as well as the daughter they had together.

But by the time their daughter was two-and-a-half, though, the woman reconciled with her estranged husband and took all three children with her when she moved back in with him. The father was not allowed to see his daughter.

Then, the woman's husband claimed paternity for the daughter, which meant that under a 1956 law in his state, the biological father no longer had any legal rights with respect to his child. Even when the mother and her husband got into trouble over drug use, the father could not exert himself and bring his child to safety.

The story has moved lawmakers in his state and some are seeking to change the law so that fathers won't experience heartbreak like this in the future.

Since this did not happen in New Jersey, it is doubtful the same circumstances would play out here. But this story is nonetheless a good example of how many times, fathers have an uphill battle to fight when it comes to their children.

Source: Fenton Patch, "A Father's Promise Propels Changes to Old Law," Tatum L. Ryan, Jan. 19, 2012