(801) 254-9450 When a child is born to unmarried parents, the father does not have any legal rights or obligations to the child until paternity is established. This means that the father cannot seek custody or visitation, and the mother cannot seek child support. Establishing paternity is the first step in protecting your rights as a parent.
At Carr | Woodall, our experienced family attorneys can help you establish paternity and protect your rights as a parent. We understand the importance of family and are committed to helping you achieve the best possible outcome for your situation. For more information about how we can help you, call us to schedule a consultation with one of our South Jordan paternity lawyers.
In Utah, paternity can be established in one of three ways: through a voluntary acknowledgment, through an administrative order, or through a court order.
A voluntary acknowledgment of paternity is a legal document that is signed by both parents. It can be signed at the hospital when the child is born or at a later date. Once the document is signed, the father’s name is added to the child’s birth certificate, and he is considered the legal father of the child.
An administrative order is a legal document that is issued by the Utah Office of Recovery Services (ORS). The ORS can issue an administrative order if both parents agree on paternity and sign a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity. The ORS can also issue an administrative order if the alleged father does not respond to a notice of agency action.
A court order is a legal document that is issued by a judge. A court order can be issued if there is a dispute over paternity or if the alleged father does not agree to sign a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity. A court order can also be issued if the alleged father does not respond to a notice of agency action.
If you are the alleged father and you do not believe that you are the biological father of the child, you can dispute paternity. You must file a paternity action with the court and request a DNA test. If the DNA test shows that you are not the biological father, the court will dismiss the paternity action, and you will not be considered the legal father of the child.
If the mother is married to someone else, the mother’s husband is considered the legal father of the child. In this situation, the mother’s husband must also be a party to the paternity action. The mother’s husband can dispute paternity by filing a paternity action with the court and requesting a DNA test. If the DNA test shows that the mother’s husband is not the biological father, the court will dismiss the paternity action, and the mother’s husband will not be considered the legal father of the child.
Establishing paternity is the first step in protecting your rights as a parent. Once paternity is established, you can seek custody or visitation, and the mother can seek child support. Establishing paternity also gives the child the right to inherit from the father and the right to access the father’s medical history.
Other benefits of establishing paternity include:
Establishing paternity is crucial for both the child and the parents involved. It provides legal recognition of the father-child relationship, ensuring the child’s rights to financial support, inheritance, and access to medical records. For fathers, establishing paternity grants them legal rights to custody, visitation, and decision-making for the child.
Some key reasons to establish paternity include:
Our experienced South Jordan paternity attorneys can guide you through the process of establishing paternity and help protect your rights and the best interests of the child.
At Carr | Woodall, our South Jordan paternity lawyers can help you establish paternity and protect your rights as a parent. We understand the importance of family and are committed to helping you achieve the best possible outcome for your situation.
For more information about how we can help you, call us to schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys.