Paternity

An unmarried couple cohabitating together may decide to have children, and at some point thereafter they separate; or a boyfriend and girlfriend who have had a sexual relationship resulting in a pregnancy, may break up either before or after the child is born; or a man and a woman may have a one time tryst, resulting in a pregnancy and the birth of a child. Sometimes, a father may not even be aware that he has a child. Sometimes a mother may not want the father in the child’s life.

A child born out of wedlock is entitled to the same legal protection and the same legal rights as a child born in wedlock. A mother may be seeking to establish paternity in order to secure support from the father for their child. A father may be seeking to establish paternity in order to secure custody or visitation rights. Moreover, upon the establishment of paternity, the child will have rights of intestate succession from, not just the mother, but now also from the father.

Paternity may be established by a legal proceeding instituted by either the mother or the father, or even by the child. It may also be established by the father's acknowledgment of paternity on the child’s birth certificate, or the father’s marriage to the mother after the child is born. Upon the establishment of paternity, the father will have the same rights and obligations with regard to the child as the mother.

The establishment of paternity, except on rare occasions, comes with lifelong rights and obligations for all parties concerned -- the mother, the father or alleged father, the mother’s husband (who is presumed to be the father if the child was born during marriage), and the child. If you find yourself in need of legal services in order to protect your rights, or your child’s rights, call The Law Offices of Robert L. Bogen. We have represented mothers, fathers, and alleged fathers in paternity agreements and paternity actions in court. We can help you to protect and enforce your legal rights, and your child’s legal rights.