Terre Haute Paternity Lawyer
If you have questions regarding who the father of a child is and you’re interested in finding out, reach out to an experienced Terre Haute paternity attorney who can help establish whether or not the father in question has legal parental rights.
Paternity refers to the courts legally recognizing the relationship between a child and their father. If a couple is married, the woman’s husband is automatically considered to be the legal father of the child, while children of couples who are not married do not have an established legal father until a paternity test has been completed.
When you’re ready to have a paternity test taken and want to make sure that all the details of a father’s parental rights are taken into consideration, the highly trained attorneys at Rowdy G. Williams Law Firm are prepared to represent you. A Terre Haute paternity lawyer will work diligently to ensure that you have access to the information and tools you need to ensure that the father’s parental rights are upheld.
The Importance of Determining Paternity
Couples who are unmarried may be wondering why they should go about getting a paternity test if they are remaining in a relationship and the father is a part of the child’s life already, while single mothers may think a paternity test is unnecessary if they are planning to raise their child without the child’s father in the picture.
In situations like these, establishing paternity can allow the mother to obtain child support from the father if the relationship dissolves or never existed. Whether a couple remains together or not, the legal father of the child has an obligation to provide financial support for his biological child.
Other benefits that will be available to the child or children once the father’s legal rights have been established include access to an inheritance, opportunities to be placed on their father’s health insurance policy, and access to social security disability benefits if the father passes away while the child is still a minor.
Additionally, knowing who the biological father of a child is can allow you to obtain the medical history of the father, which may be beneficial as the child grows up and needs to know of any conditions their biological father’s family has been diagnosed with.
Ways Paternity Can Be Established
There are a number of ways that you can go about determining paternity of a child. When the parents of a child are not married, they can voluntarily complete a paternity affidavit, which will acknowledge that the father is not contesting that he is the father of the child.
In the event that the man named as the child’s father disputes the likelihood of his paternity, the court can order a DNA test to establish paternity. The child, father, and mother will all need to provide DNA samples, whether it be as a blood sample or saliva swab.
As previously stated, for married couples, the husband is considered to be the father of the child, so no DNA test is required unless evidence suggests otherwise. Establishing paternity is often the best way to go about making sure the best interests of your children are met, including their right to child support and a relationship with their biological father.
Reach Out to a Paternity Lawyer in Terre Haute
Establishing paternity is the only way to ensure that both the child and father are able to exercise their legal rights, including visitation, custody, support, and quality time. Without a paternity test, the father in question may not have these rights.
Knowing your rights and responsibilities in regards to a child is of utmost importance. Discuss your case with a knowledgeable Terre Haute paternity lawyer at Rowdy G. Williams Law Firm to begin the paternity process. You can schedule your initial consultation today by completing the quick contact form below or by calling our office at 1-812-232-7400.
