Common Questions About Establishing Paternity

Paternity essential refers to fatherhood as established by law. The need for establishing paternity often happens if couples are not married and the dad is not present during the child’s birth to sign a paternity acknowledgment, thus leaving the child with no legal father.

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The most common question about paternity is why it is important to establish such. The reasons are varied, including giving the child a clear sense of biological identity, determining of any possible heredity medical condition that can affect a child’s health, and extending to the child any financial support and insurance benefits the parents have.

Aside from being present at the hospital during the child’s birth, what else can a father do to establish paternity? The father can either complete an acknowledgment form at the clerk’s office in the city or town where the child was born or fill out the Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage form at the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS).

However, if the dad is unsure or has questions about paternity, he should not sign the Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage form but ask the court instead to conduct a paternity test. The process may involve a judge ordering the child’s biological mother, the assumed father, and the child to have paternity tests. After the quick and painless test, the court may ask other relevant questions to fully establish the paternity and allow for the father to sign the child’s birth certificate.

People likewise often ask if a paternity test is mandatory to establish paternity. The answer is not necessarily; if the man named as father does consent to it or does not appear in court, the judge may deem the mother’s testimony and other evidence as sufficient. Conversely, a paternity test can still be completed even if the mother is not present.

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Marrison Family Law is an award-winning firm in Colorado Springs exclusively focusing on family law. Now with more than 25 years of operation, Marrison Family Law understands that family ties are most important in a person’s life. For related reads, visit this blog.