Orange County Paternity Lawyers

Paternity

Paternity is the legal identification of the father of a child. Paternity is always at issue when the parents of a child are not married. Even if on party admits they are father of the child and they are listed on the birth certificate, legal paternity must still be addressed by the court if the parents are not married. Once legal paternity is established, the acknowledged father will gain his legal rights to his child as well as take on responsibilities for supporting his child.

Paternity may be become a contentious matter and head to court when a couple does not agree on who the father of their child is. An action to establish paternity in the state of California is a civil proceeding. The state of California, requires that paternity in California be established by a "preponderance of the evidence," which essentially means that the evidence must establish the strong likelihood that the man is the father of the child.

These days, DNA tests are an accepted scientific method of determining paternity. How does DNA testing work? It is a laboratory test that examined the genetic material that a child inherited from his or her biological parents. The DNA test will compare the material and calculate the probability that a certain man fathered a certain child. DNA testing is believed to establish a father's paternity with over 99 % accuracy and has been a major breakthrough in establishing paternity.

There are many factors that make paternity determination legally significant:

• The father can now be held legally and financially responsible for his child, which means he must pay child support
• The father, who establishes his paternity, will get the necessary legal advantage in claiming visitation rights and becoming a part of his child's life
• The child will now acquire various rights such as a right to an inheritance; eligibility to receive workers' compensation benefits from father's death or the right to sue for the father's wrongful death.

If you are seeking to establish paternity or challenge paternity tests, please call an experienced Southern California Paternity Attorney at Wallin & Klarich. The laws that apply to paternity testing are complex. We can help guide you through the complicated legal process and get you the help and support you need. Call us today for a free consultation.

At Wallin & Klarich, we approach every case with the belief that the person we're representing could easily be one of our own family members. We've seen firsthand how stressful legal matters can be for our clients and their loved ones. We are committed to being available to our clients at all times -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. If you are involved in a family law matter in Southern California, you should call Wallin & Klarich today for a free evaluation of your case. Call 1-888-749-7428 or fill out our online consultation form to get in contact with a legal professional today. We will be there when you call.