Protect Your Paternal Rights
Before you can decide child custody and child support matters, you need to establish paternity over the child involved. When you are getting divorced, courts often assume that the spouses are both parents unless there is a dispute otherwise. If you are separating, there may be a disagreement as to who the father is — and custody, visitation and support terms may be up in the air.
O'Brien Family Law, PC, offers comprehensive counsel to cover all of your family law needs. We can help you establish paternity so you can protect your parental rights and the rights of your child.
Why Should You Establish Paternity?
You may be wondering why you have to take a DNA test to establish paternity? Many times, paternity can simply be agreed upon by both parents. But when one party denies they are the parent, the other may want to take action.
- As the mother, you should include the father of your child in any parental responsibilities involved in the upbringing of your child. Once you establish who the biological father is, you can seek child support, and determine custody and visitation rights so your child has both parents involved in his or her life.
- As the father, if you want parental rights over your child, you may need to establish paternity first. If your role as the biological father is disputed, you may not be able to receive any custody over the child. If you want to have an active role in your child’s upbringing, you should seek the assistance of an experienced paternity attorney.
Our Sacramento attorneys can walk you through all your options, and help you take the best step forward for you and your family.
We Will Guide You Through The Entirety Of Your Case
California family law can be difficult to navigate alone. Whether as part of a larger divorce or child custody case, or just on its own, we can walk you through every aspect of paternity as it relates to your case. Schedule a confidential consultation with one of our lawyers by calling 916-468-0707 or by reaching out online. We’re happy to help.