There are times when a father needs to assert his paternal rights. Doing so in the appropriate manner, at the appropriate time, is of utmost importance.
Consider the following situations:
— An unmarried father wants to be a part of his child’s life.
— The unmarried mother of a child is looking for the father to take on more parenting responsibilities.
Either way, it’s important to realize one thing to be true: Establishing paternity is a must if you want to receive visitation privileges or custodial rights.
Although this sounds easy enough, establishing paternity can be a difficult process. In many cases, DNA testing is required. This isn’t an instant way to establish paternity, but it’s a simple process in which a cotton swab is rubbed against the inside of the person’s cheek.
There are times when a DNA test is the best way to establish paternity, but this isn’t the only option. Other ways to establish paternity include:
— When both people agree on who is the father.
— If the man was married to the mother when the baby was either conceived or born.
— Making a request for the father’s name to appear on the birth certificate.
Even if you have a basic understanding of how paternity is established in the state of Illinois, you may not know the first thing about getting started.
At our law firm, we know that many men are put in a difficult spot in regards to establishing paternity. This is why we take great pride in providing services to help fathers establish paternity and eventually become a big part of their child’s life.
