Paternity



Paternity is the legal acknowledgment of a parental relationship between a father and his child. A child born to a wife during a marriage is legally presumed to be the husband's child, but this presumption can be rebutted with evidence to the contrary. A determination of paternity for putative fathers can be established through a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, a court petition, or estoppel over time. Scientific evidence, such as blood and DNA tests, is used to establish or deny parentage of a child in paternity suits. Once paternity is established, a child is entitled to the legal rights of a child born within a marriage, including support from both parents, medical and life insurance coverage, and inheritance protection.

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Paternity Articles
State Specific Resources
-  Divorce, Child Custody and Support in Your State-  State Child Support Service/ Enforcement Websites
-  State Domestic Relations and Family Codes Websites-  State Vital Records Websites
 
Articles
-  Sharing Custody-  The Importance of Child Support
-  Visitation Rights After Divorce or End of Relationship-  Custody Disputes: Know What To Expect & What To Do
-  Child Custody and Child Visitation: Terms To Know-  Understanding the Uniform Parentage Act
-  Examples of Visitation Schedules-  Paternity
-  Safe-Haven Laws Help Protect Newborns-  An Introduction to the Family Medical Leave Act
-  Who's Your Daddy? Proving and Disproving Paternity
 
Paternity FAQs
-  Divorce: Modifying Custody FAQ-  Divorce: Enforcing Custody Rights FAQ
-  Divorce: Child Custody FAQ-  Divorce: Calculating Child Support FAQ
-  Divorce: Modifying Child Support FAQs-  Divorce: Establishing Child Support FAQ
-  Divorce: Paying and Collecting Child Support FAQ
 
Select and Complete a Do-it-Yourself Form
-  Family & Personal Forms
Family Law Forms
-  Power of Attorney-  Divorce Worksheet
-  Last Will & Testament-  Legal Name Change
-  Premarital Agreement-  Residential Quit Claim Deed
-  Marriage Certificate Request Letter-  Demand for Alimony Payment
-  Name Change Notification Letter-  Demand for Child Support Payment
 
Access Other
-  Family Law Legal Forms
 
Lawyers.comsm Virtual Community
Legal Forums
-  NY Family Law/Divorce-  Non-Custodial Parents
-  TX Family Law/Divorce-  PA Family Law/Divorce
-  General Family Law-  General Divorce Law
-  Emotional Support - Divorce-  FL Family Law/Divorce
-  Child Custody and Visitation-  CA Family Law/Divorce
-  Alimony
 
Chats
-  Chat Listing-  Lee Borden
 
Hiring a Family Law Lawyer
-  Family Law: Preparing to Meet with a Lawyer-  Family Law: Selecting a Good Lawyer
-  Family Law: Meeting with a Lawyer
 
Related Topics on Lawyers.comsm
-  Your Family & the Law-  Child Custody and Visitation
-  Child Support-  Divorce
-  Visitation Rights
 
Paternity Lawyers for Select Cities
 

Ask a Lawyer - Your Family & the Law questions answered by leading lawyers
How can I change my childrens maiden name if my ex was using a different name?
My childrens mom was commiting identity theft and I recently found out her real name and I want to correct my son and daughters maiden name becouse i dont want any problems later on. My question is, Do i have to sue her? and what can she get herself in to? will she go to prision? I really need some advise becouse I dont know what to do.
what happens when a parent picks and chooses when they want to follow a custody order.
For example. My sons father doesn't get him the weekends he suppose to and when he does he never drops him off during the time he is suppose to return him. His order says 6:00 he wants to drop him off at 9, 10 o clock at night during a school night. The last time he kept him pass the very next day and my son ended up missing school because he refused to take him. That happened a 3 months ago and he hasn't asked for him until now. I don't want my son to go with his father nor does my son want to go, because of the way his father acts. Can I refuse for him to see him on is weekend especially if he keeps breaking his order?
Common law marriages in texas
In Texas, what are the state regulations regarding common law marriages? Situation: living together for 6 years, 3 kids together, engaged. Joint bank accounts, 'he' is a business owner, we both work for his business, as a couple. I am currently office manager & HR, and an authorized contact on business accounts. We are living in a house that his mother owns, we are renting it. He co-signed on another persons car, payments not made so it was repossessed and returned to him. Sold my car that was paid off and drive this new car that is actually under his name, for 3/4 years now. If we were to separate or 'divorce' what would I be entitled to, if anything? Thank you in advance
What should I do when my lawyer tells me to do something different and the opposing lawyer says anot
I need a third opinion. I was appointed with the right to determine our child's primary residence & other parent was not. Our child has been living with me since the divorcein2001. Other parent has weekend and midweek visitations with him per order. My lawyer has suggested to begin following all visitation schedules per order due to difficulty to compromise. Then we noticed that on the order, it does not say anything about her summer possession days. It just states her extended summer possession. It says, she has to send me a written notice by May 1 specifying an extended period of summer possession, if she does she should have possession of our child for 7 days beginning no later than the day after the child's school is dismissed for the summer vacation and ending no later than 7 days before school resumes. Her lawyer says that during our child's summer vacation, her visitation stays the same. My lawyer says no summer visitation for her.
The father of my son smokes weed can I ask for Solo custody
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Paternity Lawyer Web Sites
 
 -  Oregon Family Law - Kell, Alterman & Runstein, L.L.P.
 -  Rhode Island Family Attorneys - Kirshenbaum Law Associates
 -  New York Law - Sepe & O'mahony, PLLC
 -  Clinton County Family Law - Jackson, Jackson & Hayes, P.C.
 -  Delaware County Family Attorneys - Hoffman Turner & Associates
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