FAQS About Paternity

Below are some frequently asked questions about Paternity:

How do I establish paternity for my child in North Carolina?

North Carolina presumes fatherhood for a man married to the mother during her pregnancy or at the time of birth. However, if the couple is not married during that period, but are both present for the birth, they can both sign an affidavit of parentage. This act establishes paternity without requiring a DNA test or marriage between the parents.

If either the mother or father of the child wants to file a paternity action against the other, a paternity lawyer from our firm can help. A paternity action requires a DNA test. Fathers who want to claim their parental rights to visitation, custody, or child support can file an action against the mother. Mothers who want the court to enforce child support can file the action against the alleged father.

What are the benefits of establishing paternity for my child?

Many fathers want to establish paternity for their children for a number of reasons, including:

• Wanting to share custody or spend time with their children
• Wanting to pay child support
• Having a right to child support if they have child custody (physical custody)
• Having a right to make important decisions for the child (legal custody)
• Allowing the child to receive benefits through the father’s Social Security or family health insurance
• Allowing the child to inherit from the father’s estate
• Allowing the child to access medical records from the father’s side of the family

Can a child support law firm help me establish paternity to pursue support for my child?

If you are the custodial parent and need to secure child support from a putative (alleged) father, a paternity attorney from our firm can help you file a paternity action against the father. If the court finds through a required DNA test that he is the biological father, it can require him to pay child support.

How do your Wilmington family law attorneys handle complicated paternity cases?

At Speaks Law Firm, PC Family Law Division, our paternity attorney will speak on your behalf. Knowing how essential establishing paternity is in cases involving child custody, child support, visitation, inheritance, and other areas of family law, we analyze each case to come to a reasonable agreement between parties.

For legal help with a paternity matter, call Speaks Law Firm, PC Family Law Division at (910) 769-7339 in Wilmington, NC.