HOW & WHY TO ESTABLISH PATERNITY
FAMILY LAWYER IN MARYLAND
ATTORNEY HELPING WITH ALL LEGAL ASPECTS OF FAMILY LAW
Its that subject that many of us don’t want to talk about, let alone think about – what will happen when we pass away?
Many people don’t understand that father’s of children are often times not automatically assigned paternity following the birth of their child. Even having your name put on the birth certificate at the hospital does not guarantee that your paternity will be established.
What Is Paternity?
Paternity is defined by Webster’s dictionary as “the state of being someone’s father”. This seems simple enough, but what does father really mean? Does father represent the individual who’s genetic material was used during conception? Does it represent the man that was married to the mother of the child at the time – what if they aren’t one in the same? What happens if the couple wasn’t married and they weren’t sexually exclusive?
As the questions above cause confusion with many individuals, you may now understand why the concept of paternity can be so difficult to understand. Fortunately, the reasons to establish paternity early and completely are more obvious and less complex.
Why Establish Paternity in Maryland?
Establishing paternity should be done for every child – a child will have a better life with two parents providing support. We often hear the term paternity used in a somewhat negative connotation with regards to paternity tests and establishing paternity for the purposes of child support payments. Contrary to popular belief, paternity is rarely established using genetic material, and those scenarios represents the most extreme cases involving paternity. Establishing paternity is almost never a bad thing – unless you are a deadbeat attempting to dodge your responsibilities as a father.
Advantages of Establishing Paternity
- Government Benefits – Without paternity established, your child will not be entitled to your inheritance rights and Social Security, Veteran’s and other government benefits
- Medical Benefits – Establishing paternity will allow the father to add their child to their health insurance plan
- Family Health History – Establishing paternity can help doctors when they are researching possible genetic diseases or family health issues that may be relevant – in the case of determining donors for transplant, this is absolutely critical
- Citizenship – In certain countries, parents automatically provide their children with nationality or citizenship as soon as they are born, and without paternity established, this is not possible
- Financial Support – Both parents are required to financially support their child, and establishing paternity can help the child to receive the support they are guaranteed by the law
- Rights for the Father – At the time of birth, rights are guaranteed for the child’s mother with regards to the guardianship of their child – this is not the same for the father, and paternity will need to be established to ensure the father is able to pursue equal rights to the care of his child
A Family Lawyer in Maryland Can Help You Establish Paternity!
Has the mother of your child left your name off the birth certificate? Do you want equal rights to care for your child? You need to establish paternity! It is never too late to establish paternity, and a family lawyer in Maryland can help! Call us today for a consultation so that we may investigate your situation and determine an appropriate course of action. Our family attorney in Maryland can help, call today!
Proving Paternity
It is important to establish a child’s father for many reasons. It compels the father to assist in the child’s financial support and it also determines if the child has any rights to inherit from his or her alleged father when the father dies.
If the father openly admits that the child is his, then establishing paternity is not an issue. If the man disputes paternity, then a paternity lawsuit must be filed to prove that he is indeed the child’s father. Proving paternity used to be established through circumstantial evidence, such as proof that the couple had engaged in sexual intercourse near the time of conception and if the child looks like the father.
Today the most important tool in establishing paternity beyond doubt is DNA testing, which compares genetic markers between the alleged father and the child. Unlike older tests, such as blood typing, which could serve only to exclude a man as the child’s father, DNA testing is used affirmatively to prove that the man is in fact the child’s father.
The Burton Firm in Prince George’s County and Charles County is an experienced family law firm where the attorney-client working relationship is the basis of the law practice. Waldorf family law attorney Aubrey Burton, Jr., applies knowledge, experience and zeal when advising and representing clients. Call or e-mail the law firm to schedule a consultation.
CONTACT FAMILY LAWYER IN MARYLAND FOR HELP
The Burton Law Firm understands how divorce can affect you and your family’s life indefinitely. Having years of experience handling all types of family law cases throughout the state of Maryland, you can trust us to handle your case with care. Give us a call at (301) 420-5540 to speak with a family law lawyer in Maryland.
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Contact our office as soon as possible so our team of Family Law attorneys can properly evaluate your case and protect your rights.