Paternity is a legal action for determining the father of a child born outside of marriage. Traditionally, paternity cases have typically been filed by unmarried mothers seeking child support from the father. Today, many fathers also file paternity actions to obtain visitation after the mom has cut off contact with the children.
At The Mathews Group, LC, our lawyers guide men and women through the legal process of determining paternity.Schedule a consultation online with a Mathews Group attorney to discuss your case. From our law office in Leawood, KS, we represent clients throughout the Kansas City metro area in Kansas and Missouri.
Determining Paternity in Kansas and Missouri
Hospitals in both Kansas and Missouri have a form where the name of the presumptive father can be put on the birth certificate. However, unless you are married, having your name on the birth certificate does not establish paternity.
Regardless of whether your name is on a child's birth certificate, you are not legally the father unless you were married to the mother when the baby was born. A paternity action is required for men to establish their legal rights as the father of a child or for a mother to obtain child support.
This does not mean that fathers will need to take a DNA paternity test. If both parties agree who the father is, the court will enter that finding without the test.
Disestablishing Paternity in Kansas and Missouri
Sometimes fathers who get divorced wish to disestablish paternity so they are not required to pay support for a child who is not theirs. If you believe that you are not the father of a child born to your spouse while you were married, you can file a paternity action to disestablish paternity. However, the courts will not disestablish paternity unless you can establish another individual as the father.
Establish Paternity in Kansas and Missouri
You will never be charged for your initial consultation with a Kansas City paternity attorney at our firm. We encourage you to schedule a free consultation online or call us at 913-660-0664 to discuss your case today.
