PATERNITY

If you have never been declared the legal father of your child, either by being married to the mother, been named the legal father in a prior court order or by signing an Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP) at the child’s birth, a Paternity action is necessary to establish legal rights to your child.

Through this proceeding, genetic testing can be conducted and the biological father can be declared the legal father of the child for all legal purposes. If you are not named the legal father of your child, you have no rights to that child and cannot require the other parent to allow you to see the child. Through the paternity action, we can confirm parentage, set up access and possession schedules, and establish various other rights related to your child.