Paternity

A Paternity Lawyer To Represent Your Interests

As an unmarried parent, you may assume that you have the same rights as a parent who is married. Unfortunately, that may not be the case. If you are an unmarried father, the mother can prevent visits or relocate at any time and for any reason. If you are an unmarried mother, you may not have the right to obtain child support from the father unless you get a court order that establishes paternity. To obtain these rights and others, you need to establish paternity of your child.

I am attorney Riisa Petersen Mandel, founder of the Petersen Law Firm, PLLC in Tucson, Arizona. I help unmarried fathers and mothers establish paternity of children. Once a court establishes paternity, mothers can seek child support and fathers can seek parenting time and the right to be involved in decision-making.

What Is Paternity?

Paternity is a legal case to establish the father of a child. If the parents do not agree who the father is, the court will order a DNA test. If the father and the mother agree, the court will establish paternity without a DNA test.

If you are a father, putting your name on a child’s birth certificate does make you the presumptive father. However, it does not give you the right to visit your child or be involved in decisions over issues such as education, medical care, religious upbringing and relocation. Only a paternity action will give you the right to be involved in your child’s life.

I have successfully handled many paternity cases and authored numerous parenting plans for unmarried parents. If you are a father who wants to be involved in your child’s life, it is important to take prompt action, especially if the mother has cut off visits. It can be difficult to obtain parenting time if you have not seen your children for a long period of time and you have not maintained a relationship with your children.