Paternity Testing ProcessHaving a child is sometimes planned, but often times, it’s an unexpected miracle. As a mother or father, looking forward to raising your son or daughter is just the beginning in the journey of parenthood.

If you’re a mother who has been abandoned by the father, or a father who believes that a child is yours, establishing paternity is the best way to ensure that you receive all of the rights and legal responsibilities that come with being a parent.

There are several steps in the process of establishing paternity that a qualified and experienced lawyer can help you get through.

Paternity Proceedings

The paternity proceedings are very simple to understand, especially with an attorney by your side. The individual who is looking to establish paternity must file a petition with the court and include facts about the child that would be relevant in establishing paternity.
Once the party receiving the petition is served with the paperwork, they must file a written defense. After that has been done, there is a mandatory discovery phase before the mediation.

After paternity has been determined through DNA testing, a court order will establish legal rights for the individual if he or she is the child’s father.

Established Paternity

Once paternity has been established, the next steps include making decisions that result in the best interests of the child.

If the biological father does not wish to be involved in the child’s life, then the other parent has the option to file for child support and full custodial rights of the child. Child support is intended to benefit the child; therefore, if the mother and sole custodial parent of the child does not make enough money or feels that the child needs more support, then a judge may mandate the father to pay child support.

Why It’s Important

Determining the father of the child is most important for the child, as well as provide time sharing and child support responsibilities to both the mother and the child.

It is also important to mandate all legal parental responsibilities involved in the child’s life. Determining the father of the child can help disprove any doubt, provide mothers and children with financial support and other benefits, and allow families to live happily.

How We Can Help

At the Law Offices of Aliette H. Carolan, PA, we have the necessary experience and knowledge needed for paternity testing. We want to help protect parental rights and serve the best interests of your child.
If you contact us online or at (305) 358-2330, we will be happy to meet with you and discuss any of the problems or concerns you may have, as well as inform you as to how we can protect your rights.