Establishing paternity involves a judicial determination of who the biological father of a child may be. It does not necessarily indicate who will provide care for a child—just who is the natural father.
Paternity determinations can be very simple. They can be decided by both parents filling out a form. However, they can be complicated in some cases because the father may not cooperate or he might be unavailable. In many situations, the court can order genetic testing to determine whether an individual is the father of a child. That information is used to definitively prove who the father is.
Fathers may want to establish paternity to ensure that they have legal rights to access and care for their children. A mother might also want to establish paternity because it is required before she can receive child support. Children also benefit from paternity determinations because they often have a better chance to connect with and bond with their father after a paternity determination.
Linda S. Groezinger, Attorney at Law, can help with paternity determination, no matter how complicated they may seem. Contact her office to learn more about her services or to schedule an appointment.
