Paternity suits are typically filed when an alleged father wishes to establish their parental rights. In some instances, the mother has filed for government aid for which she has identified this individual as the father. When this is the case, the government takes action to collect the funds from this individual. If you were identified through government child support programs, you need to contact a Paternity Lawyer to file a claim.
Understanding Your Rights
If a mother identified you as the biological father through a government program, you have the right to file a claim to demand DNA testing. This testing determines whether or not you are the rightful father of the child. These programs utilize federal lawyers to file claims against the identified father to repay all money received by the mother. In some cases, this could lead to imprisonment for failure to pay.
In circumstances where a biological father wasn’t identified, an alleged father could file a claim to determine paternity. However, when the mother isn’t seeking child support from this individual, this process becomes complicated. If another man’s name appears on the child’s birth certificate, this could also cause additional complexities. In these cases, it is less likely you’ll receive the mother’s full cooperation in terms of DNA testing.
What is an Equitable Father?
Some states recognize stepfathers as the father of the child under certain circumstances. These are fathers who help raise the child and wish to continue their visitation rights. They also continue to pay child support for the child. The only issue with these cases is when the biological father doesn’t agree with this arrangement. In most cases, biological father takes precedent over step-parents.
At any time, you suspect that you are the biological father of a child, you have the right to take action. By filing a paternity suit against the mother, you’re alleging that you are the father and want to acknowledge this status through the court. Before you file a suit, you should understand all repercussions of this action. If you wish to learn more, you should contact a Paternity Lawyer at The Law Offices Of Diane M Sternlieb LLC.
