Establishing Paternity For The Sake Of Your Child
All children deserve to live in a home where they receive support, attention and care from both of their parents. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen in every situation; and in some cases, it can be downright dangerous to have a parent remain in the home.
At S|S|H|W Sevila | Saunders | Huddleston | White, we believe in doing what’s in the best interests of the child, which oftentimes means getting both parents involved in the child’s life, even if the situation has created some challenges.
Issues Facing Unmarried Parents
Just because a father chooses not to marry the mother of his child doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to be a part of his child’s life. He may want to seek joint custody or visit with his child on a regular basis. He may even have a desire to support his child financially. In order to gain access to these parental rights, however, a father must first establish paternity.
Our attorneys understand the struggles unmarried fathers and mothers go through when custody matters are marred by the question of paternity. That’s why we offer guidance and support through the process, whether our clients decide to sign an Acknowledgement of Paternity form or seek genetic testing.
Issues Facing Married Parents
Paternity issues are not exclusive to unmarried parents but rather can arise when parents are married as well. During the course of marriage or even during divorce proceedings, a father may start to question whether a child is biologically his or not. When such a situation arises, paternity testing is often sought to make sure custody arrangements and child support orders accurately reflect the situation.
Whether we resolve paternity matters through mediation or litigation, our lawyers make sure our clients understand the laws at work and how they apply to the situation at hand. We will fight for what’s best for the child, as well as our clients every time.
Get Skilled, Professional Counsel At SSHW
At our firm, our team of qualified family law attorneys understand that establishing paternity is the first step toward gaining full access to one’s parental rights. Without it, parents may encounter challenges at home, in other states or abroad — challenges we’d like to help you avoid.
Contact our firm today to schedule an initial consultation or to retain our services. Call our Leesburg, Virginia, office at 703-468-0432 or send us an email.
Talk to any of our family law attorneys: Heather S. Miller, Craig E. White, Benjamin Fitzgerald and R. Penn Bain.