Parentage and Paternity Lawyer in Orange County

A paternity action is the legal process by which a man is legally declared to be a minor child’s father. When a man wants to claim his paternal rights of a child or seek to challenge a mother’s claim that he is the father, he may do so by filing a petition with the court. For either process, it is highly recommended that you secure the guidance and representation of a skilled family lawyer.

The state of California will assume that a man is a child’s father if one of the following is true:

• The man is married to the child’s mother
• The man is living with the child’s mother and lives as though he is the child’s father

Filing a paternity action is unnecessary in either of these cases. However, if neither of these circumstances exist, a child’s mother or a man who believes he is a child’s father may still pursue legal action to establish parentage.

If an unmarried couple is in agreement that the man is the child’s father, the mother and father may sign a “voluntary declaration of paternity” after the child is born. If there was no such mutual agreement, a mother may file a “paternity action” with the court to establish a man’s paternity, or, a man seeking parental rights may do the same. Alternatively, the Child Support Services Department may bring a Judgment of Paternity to court to establish paternity. An adoption agency may also pursue this legal action.

In response to either action, a judge may request that a genetic test be performed. If a man’s paternity is established, the court will oversee decisions regarding whether or not—and in what way—he will be granted custody rights, visitation rights, and/or child support responsibilities.

Turn to an Experienced Paternity Lawyer Today

At The Law Offices of W. Douglas McKeague, our Orange County family lawyer has more than 4 decades of experience assisting individuals with a wide variety of family law issues.

We are here to provide compassionate legal counsel and personalized attention for your case. Whether you are a mother seeking to establish paternity for the sake of securing child support, or if you are a father who would like to be a part of your child’s life, we know how to represent your best interests.