Need Help with A Paternity Issue?
Establishing paternity is an important legal issue in domestic and juvenile courts. The purpose of a paternity proceeding is to establish or contest a father’s legal rights and responsibilities as a parent of a minor child. Paternity cases usually involve several other aspects such as parenting time and child support. Whether the paternity issue in your case is uncontested or whether there is a dispute as to who is the father of the child, it is important to have a skilled lawyer representing you. At Boal Law Firm, PC, attorney Brian Boal represents parties on both sides of the paternity issue. He has represented unmarried couples, single mothers, and fathers contesting paternity, as well as fathers wishing to establish paternity with respect to their child. With experience in all facets of the paternity issue, Brian will provide you with the thorough and experienced legal counsel and representation that you need to be successful in court. Keep in mind that paternity does not automatically result in child support being paid and parenting rights for the biological father. There are often separate proceedings for determining these issues that family law attorney Brian Boal can help you with.
Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity
When a child is born to married parents there is a presumption that the husband is the child’s father. However, if the husband is not actually the father, paternity must be established with the child’s natural or biological father before the biological father will have parenting rights or be obligated to pay child support. In many other cases, the parents of the child are unmarried, in which case paternity also needs to be established if only the mother’s name appears on the birth certificate.
DNA testing can establish who the biological father is. But it does not establish legal paternity. A further step is required in which there is an acknowledgment of paternity by both parents or a finding of paternity by the judge or magistrate at a hearing. There are forms that must be completed and signed by the parties and filed with the Office of Vital Records. When this is done voluntarily by both parties, the process is usually quicker. However, if a father is not named on the child’s birth certificate, the mother will not be legally entitled to receive any child support from that presumed father until his paternity has been established in court.
Contesting Paternity
When either the mother or the father is contesting paternity, then establishing paternity becomes more complicated. In contested cases, the moving party must seek a court order to establish paternity. Brian Boal has the ability and experience to represent you during all stages of this difficult proceeding.
There are also situations in which a legal father who signed the birth certificate but then discovers or begins to suspect that he is not actually the father of the child. In this case, there are important deadlines associated with the legal father’s ability to challenge his legal paternity.
Talk to Our Experienced Family Law Attorney in Colorado Springs About Your Paternity Issue
Get the legal help you have been looking for with your paternity issue. Discuss your case with paternity lawyer by calling at 719-602-2262. You can also
reach us online. Our law firm is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
