Paternity may be questioned in the case of an unwed mother, divorce, annulment or legal separation. A paternity suit is a court case to establish the identity of a child’s father, usually to require a man to support the child financially.

In the case of divorce, annulment or legal separation, the presumption of a child’s paternity may be questioned and refuted by evidence to the contrary. In other words, the husband or separated party was not the child’s legal father.

An unwed mother may petition the courts for a determination or the man involved could come forward and accept the paternity of the child.

Upon establishing paternity, a few things need to be done:

• For the Father: Filing documents with the court establishing that you are the father. If these documents are not contest by the mother, you could establish paternity.
• Signing the paternity acknowledgement form
• For the Mother: File documents with the court requesting a paternity test.

In order to determine if the accused party is a child’s father, a paternity test is given. A paternity test is a medical test, usually a blood test, to determine if the accused man may be the father of a particular child.

Courts determine paternity based on sworn statements, testimony and evidence given. Atkins & Markoff Family Law can help assist with the complications involved in paternity cases.

Our Family Law Lawyers can help you get paternity tests issued by the court. Sometimes, in Paternity Action Cases, it is necessary that a paternity test is done to establish whether the man in question is the actual father of the child. Contact the firm today to schedule an initial consultation.