If you have questions about PATERNITY/ESTABLISHMENT, or if you would like to discuss your domestic situation with an experienced family law attorney, please contact attorney, Barbara L. Fuqua, today.

DISCLAIMER: Providing the above information does not establish an attorney-client relationship. To create such a relationship, both the attorney and potential client must sign a written fee agreement. The information contained herein is meant only as general information and is not meant to be relied upon for the purpose of taking legal action. you should contact an attorney in person for further and specific information.

Barbara L Fuqua of Fuqua Law Firm P.C., is licensed in Arizona only.

PATERNITY / ESTABLISHMENT

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The inclusion of the father’s name on the child’s birth certificate does not establish legal paternity of the child. To legally establish paternity of your child, you must obtain an Order of the Court stating that the person is the natural or biological father of the child.

An Order of Paternity must be entered by the Court in order for the father of a child born outside of marriage to establish legal rights to the child, such as legal decision-making and parenting time. 

A Child Support Order obtained through Child Support Enforcement does not establish these legal rights to the child; the Child Support Order simply assigns financial responsibility for the child.

Paternity can be legally established through the consent of the parties, or if there is no agreement, then through a court-ordered DNA test. In order to obtain an Order of Paternity, a party must file documents with the Court and request that the Court enter the Order of Paternity.