Establishing Paternity Helps the Parent-Child Relationship
Life happens as we are moving through it. We begin and end relationships, jobs, living situations, and the like. Sometimes, when a child is born, paternity is clear. Other times, it may not be.
Oklahoma provides a presumption of paternity when a child is born to a married couple. When a baby is born to unmarried parents, no such presumption exists in the eyes of the law. That is when you need the help of a Bartlesville paternity attorney.
When it is not clear, you may want to think about legally establishing the paternity of your child. This can be done through a court procedure in Oklahoma.
Getting an Acknowledgement of Paternity puts your mind at ease, and ensures that you are recognized as your child’s father when it counts. For this, you may want to consult a Bartlesville paternity attorney. Your paternity attorney can answer your questions and can help put your mind at ease.
What is an Acknowledgement of Paternity?
An Acknowledgement of Paternity is the easiest way to establish your child’s parentage. An Acknowledgement of Paternity is a document that both parents sign in front of an impartial witness. Signing this document means that both parents acknowledge the father is the biological and legal parent of the child.
This is a legally binding document that grants certain rights and duties upon you as a parent. A legal father must provide child support and may have to buy medical insurance for his child, depending upon the situation. A child can inherit assets from a legal father, including real estate, life insurance policies, stocks, and bank accounts.
If you are asked to sign an Acknowledgement of Paternity in Oklahoma and are not sure whether you are the father, do not sign it. Instead, get a paternity or DNA test.
Paternity Tests Help
In this day and age, paternity tests can be found everywhere. They are available online and in drug stores.
But not all paternity tests are created equal in the eyes of the law. You want to make sure that the paternity test that you use is valid and respected, and that the test is conducted in a compassionate manner in accordance with the law.
The most common legal paternity testing is done by an accredited lab by gently swabbing the inside of your mouth with a cotton swab, capturing your DNA. This is often called a buccal swab. Epithelial cells adhere to the swab, and these cells contain DNA that can be analyzed in a lab. This method is non-invasive, and it is easy to get DNA evidence from both you and the child in question. This method is usually deemed sufficient by a judge hearing a paternity matter.
If the judge hearing the paternity matter feels that method is insufficient, the judge may order a blood test.
DNA testing is the only conclusive methodology used in paternity cases. Establishing paternity is a prerequisite for a number of legal rights, duties, and privileges regarding the relationship between parents and children and between the parents with regard to a child.
Legal Rights and Duties Grow Out of an Established Paternity Status
If there is no Acknowledgement of Paternity, the only other way to establish paternity is with a lawsuit filed in a Bartlesville court. This is often when a family court judge orders a paternity test.
Usually, the mother (seeking child support) or the father (seeking visitation rights) files a paternity case. Sometimes, Oklahoma Child Support Services will file a Bartlesville paternity case to establish a child’s right to financial support.
If you are dealing with paternity issues, it is imperative that you obtain the help of an experienced Bartlesville paternity attorney. The Wirth Law Office-Bartlesville offers convenient phone consultations with a Bartlesville lawyer. Call (918) 213-0950.
Children thrive when parents are actively involved in their lives. Establishing paternity can help cement the bond between parents and children. It can allow a father to ask for custody and/or visitation. It also ensures that a child will receive additional support and benefits that might not be available otherwise.
Consult with a Bartlesville Paternity Attorney
We at the Wirth Law Office-Bartlesville, want to help you with your paternity needs. You can get a consultation with an experienced Bartlesville paternity attorney or his paralegal. Simply call (918) 213-0950.
If you prefer written correspondence, email firm@bartlesvilleattorney.com or submit the “Ask an Attorney” form at the top right of this page.
