Paternity

In many child support and child custody cases, paternity must be established before any custody, visitation or support Order is issued. In non-marital cases Paternity is typically established either by a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity or through Genetic Marker Testing. Only after paternity is established may the Court then enter orders for custody, visitation, and support.

Where the mother is married at the time of birth or 300 days prior to birth, the husband is presumed to be the father and will therefore be responsible for child support, even if it is later discovered than he is not the biological father of the child. If you are married and suspect that the child is not your own it is imperative that you consult an attorney immediately as even the briefest of delays may create an irrevocable presumption of paternity.