Paternity
Central New Jersey Paternity Lawyers
Paternity Actions For Unmarried Fathers
All parties can benefit from establishing a child’s paternity. Often, these cases are brought forward by unmarried fathers who are seeking to establish paternity over a child. Until paternity is established, an unmarried father will have no particular rights to custody, visitation or decision-making power regarding the child’s future. A positive test will allow the man to establish a normal father-child relationship, backed by all legal rights and responsibilities.
In other situations, men use these legal actions in an attempt to challenge an allegation of paternity. When the identity of the father is in doubt, most men feel a desire to know for sure whether they are the biological dad. A paternity case can clear up lingering confusion and doubt, giving both parents the information they need to decide how to proceed.
Establishing Paternity
Mothers may also file paternity suits to establish a legal father for their child. This benefits both mother and child – in addition to establishing a relationship between the child and his or her father, the child will also begin to receive child support for food, clothing and other living expenses. In most cases, this greatly eases the financial burden on the mother. When parents are unmarried, this child support cannot begin until paternity is legally established.
In addition to child support, children can benefit from being legally recognized as a man’s child by receiving health insurance from the father, veterans’ benefits, Social Security benefits and assets left to them in a will.
Paternity can also be established by the government. When an unmarried mother attempts to seek public assistance for her child, authorities may attempt to determine paternity in an effort to claim reimbursement for their expenses. This paternity action would establish child support and other rights and responsibilities for the father.
Are Paternity Tests Accurate?
DNA testing is extremely accurate, and backed by decades of scientific research. Modern tests are well over 99 percent accurate when establishing paternity. They are 100 percent accurate when ruling out paternity – that is, the test will always correctly determine if a man is not a child’s father.
Contact A Back Child Support Lawyer
If a child’s paternity is in doubt, a test can be a great benefit for everyone – especially the child. If you wish to begin a paternity test, our attorneys can help you get started. We have extensive experience with paternity actions in New Jersey, and we can help you resolve the issue quickly and effectively. To schedule an appointment at our Somerset County law office, please call 609-683-7400 or contact us online.