Establishing Paternity

Establishing paternity is necessary when the biological father of child is unclear. Sometimes it is the mother who wants to establish paternity, either because she wants to collect child support and needs proof of who the father is, or because she wants to prevent a particular man from attempting to get custody of the child.

Sometimes it is the man who wants to establish paternity. When a woman claims a man is the biological father of a child and demands child support, he will need to take a DNA test to prove he is not the father of the child. Other times a man may want to be a part of a child’s life, and needs a DNA test to prove he is the father in order to have legal grounds for custody and visitation. This is common when the child’s mother refuses to let the man see or spend time with the child.

Simply put, a judge will not enforce any child support, child custody, or visitation order unless paternity is established. If you need help establishing paternity, an experienced paternity lawyer can help you pursue a paternity action. An attorney can also provide you with legal counsel if your paternity is being challenged. Whatever your objectives may be, you can depend on an attorney to help you take the necessary steps.