Determining Paternity

Establishing paternity is often a prerequisite to obtaining orders for child support on behalf of a single mother. It may also be an issue under fathers' rights for men who wish to take responsibility for and play a major role in the lives of their children. If you need legal assistance with establishing or disestablishing paternity, it is recommended that you contact attorney Lynn Poster-Zimmerman to discuss your case. With decades of experience in family law, our knowledgeable firm can provide effective and thorough legal help with this issue.

Paternity Cases

When paternity is established for a child, it allows for much more than merely child support payments. The child gains other benefits, including:

• The right to know who his or her father is
• Ability to have an emotional bond with a father figure
• Legal benefits such as potential death benefits through social security or Veteran's benefits
• Access to the father's medical history, which may provide important information for the child's future health

For a lot of single mothers, their goal in establishing paternity is to get financial support for their child. It can be challenging to take care of children in the state of New York with the high cost of education, health care and general necessities. It may also allow mothers to share the responsibilities associated with their child such as appointments, sports, and taking them to school.

It can prove highly beneficial to the father in the situation if they desire to have a relationship with their child. Otherwise, it may seem daunting to take on the job of a father. Either way, it is vital that you have an attorney at your side to guide you through the legal process and make everything crystal clear. The last thing you want is to end up with certain payments and duties that you are not prepared to handle.

Establishing Paternity

In order to establish paternity, a father can voluntarily acknowledge his parenthood through acknowledgment documents. If the father does not do this, the mother may pursue paternity establishment through the court system. The only way to show non-paternity in a conclusive way is through DNA testing. In cases like this, the alleged father as well as the mother and child must submit to genetic testing. If the test results determine that the man is the biological father of the child, then paternity will be recognized as a legal factor. Such testing can determine paternity with 99 percent accuracy.

Paternity tests may cost anywhere from $400-$1500 and if the mother desires to determine it while she is still pregnant the rates are higher. Performing these tests before the birth of the child may prove a level of risk to the mother and child. It is encouraged to wait until the baby has been born to take these tests. For mothers who choose not to wait, the process involves either amniocentesis or CVS (Chorionic Villus Sampling) from the fluid within the mother's womb.

Guided Legal Assistance

Are you unsure of the father of your child? As a man, are you desiring to determine if you have paternity rights over a child you believe to be yours? All of these questions can be answered through a DNA test or willing acknowledgement through court processes. It is unwise to attempt to pursue paternity rights without an attorney guiding you through the legal steps along the way. There are confusing laws and procedures to jump through and Attorney Lynn Poster-Zimmerman is prepared to help. Allow her past 29 years of experience to take you in the right direction that will hopefully bring you beneficial results. Contact her office today or fill out our free case evaluation!