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
 
Articles
-  Sharing Custody-  Child Support
-  Your Rights As A Noncustodial Parent-  Negotiating Child Custody
-  Child Custody and Visitation-  The Uniform Parentage Act of 2002
-  Examples of Visitation Schedules-  Paternity
-  Safe-Haven Laws Help Protect Newborns-  Paternity Leave and FMLA
 
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
 
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
-  Family Law-  Child Custody
-  Child Support-  Divorce
-  Visitation Rights
 

Ask a Lawyer - Family Law questions answered by leading lawyers
Can She Get My House? Custody of Our Children?

I owned a Home and had custody of my two boy before my wife and I got remarried. We have only been remarried for about 4 years.

Does she have any right to the house and can she get custody of the boys if she leave me again?

What Does "Pro Bono" Mean?

What does "pre bono" (sic) or "pre bonal" (sic) mean however you say it but I just wanted to know what does it mean when a divorce lawyer says that he is going to do that. Thank You

Can I Get An Annulment?

I am wondering if I would be eligible for an annulment. We have been married for about 14 months but have never lived together or had any joint accounts, etc. My husband will not dispute.

Can I Get Custody of My Stepdaughter?

My husband and I got custody of his daughter 3 years ago. They told him if it wasn't for me, he would never gotten her. Now the problem is I want to leave him and get a divorce. His daughter wants to live with me and he keeps saying no. Can I take her since I had to sign papers for her?

Can I Sever Dad's relationship with My Kid?

I have a two year old who has always been with me. Her birth father lives 3 hours away and calls once a month to see her. We meet halfway and he gets a weekend when convenient for him. He never calls to talk to her and sends only $300 every other month. Otherwise he does nothing for her. He and I were never married and he left me before she was born. Can I make him go away? I'm now married and my husband is the daddy she needs.


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