Glastonbury Paternity Lawyer

Establishing fatherhood can be important for both parties in a child custody case. For example, an unmarried mother may want to formally identify her child’s father as a means of getting financial support. Alternatively, a father may wish to have paternity established so he can legally gain custody or visitation rights over his child.

A Glastonbury paternity lawyer could explain the process of establishing fatherhood to gain legal rights if you are involved in a child custody case. Additionally, an experienced attorney could help you understand the benefits of legally determining fatherhood depending on your situation.

State Laws Regarding Establishing Fatherhood

When a married couple has a child, the law assumes their biological relationships. However, if a couple is not married at the time of their child’s birth, legal actions to establish fatherhood can be initiated with the help of a Glastonbury paternity attorney. State law allows for different methods of identifying a child’s father.

Acknowledgment of Paternity

If unmarried parents amicably agree on the parental rights of both parties, they have the option of establishing fatherhood by filling out an Acknowledgement of Paternity form, Once signed, the parents must submit this form to the State Vital Records Office. The parents may complete this form at the hospital when the child is born or at a later date. Once the form is processed, the father’s name can be added to his child’s birth certificate, and they may enjoy all the rights and responsibilities afforded to them by state law.

Court Ordered DNA Testing

Court-ordered DNA testing also may establish fatherhood. This may become required when a child’s parents cannot agree on who the father is, or when one party refuses to sign an Acknowledgement of Paternity form. The individual seeking this court order may be the mother, the child, a legal guardian, the putative father, or a state agency that has been providing financial assistance to the family.

Why Might a Parent Want to Establish Paternity?

Depending on who wants to identify a child’s father, there could be multiple benefits to taking paternity action. One of the most important reasons to establish fatherhood is it allows a child to receive financial support of both parents until they reach adulthood. In general, making support payments is a means by which the non-custodial parent can help cover expenses related to raising their child.

A court may order a father to pay child support once they have been legally identified as a parent to the child in a case. A Glastonbury lawyer with experience in cases that deal with paternity actions could help a mother legally identify their child’s father to obtain financial support. Other reasons why someone may want to legally identify a child’s father are:

• Inheritance rights
• Life insurance benefits in the event the father dies
• Veterans’ benefits if the father was in the US military

Contact a Glastonbury Paternity Attorney

Determining the father of a child can greatly benefit not just the child but both parents as well. It can give a father access to his parental rights and obligations in addition to allowing his partner the opportunity to seek financial support and benefits. Contact a Glastonbury paternity lawyer today if you want to have the paternity of your child established.