Chicago Paternity Attorneys

Chicago Paternity Attorneys

Establishing paternity is important for the child involved and for both the mother and father. If you are a father of a child born to a woman to whom you are not married, it’s important to recognize that being on a birth certificate does not automatically award you parental rights., You must either sign off on a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity, also known as a VAP, at the Hospital and then you can petition the court, who must still enter an order designating you as the legal parent to proceed with requests for parenting time, decision-making and child support. Issues related to paternity are simply too important not to retain the professional legal counsel of an experienced Chicago paternity attorney. 

Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity

One way to establish paternity if you are not married to the child’s mother is by signing a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity (VAP) that must be signed by both parents (in front of a witness). A VAP allows you to bypass the court in your effort to establish paternity, and it can be entered into any time before or after your child is born. If the mother is married to someone else who is not the child in question’s father, he will need to sign a Voluntary Denial of Parentage before you and your child’s mother can sign the VAP. A VAP is very difficult to undo and shouldn’t be entered into lightly by either parent. While the VAP instigates child support arrangements through the state, it does not address the matter of visitation or parental rights. 

Illinois Paternity Tests

Whether you or your child’s mother initiates a paternity case, the court is very likely to require and facilitate a DNA test (at a reduced cost) to establish or confirm paternity. Because it is so difficult to override a VAP, establishing paternity in this manner is generally considered advisable. 

Seeking Parental Rights

Once you’ve established your paternity, you can request parental rights and child custody arrangements – or a visitation schedule – through the court. This process is very much like a child custody modification (because you are requesting a modification to your child’s mother’s current sole custody). This process can be daunting, and you are well-advised to work closely with an established Chicago paternity attorney. 

The Benefits of Establishing Paternity

When you establish paternity of your child, everyone wins. Consider the following:

• Being a parent is enriching in ways that you probably couldn’t have imagined prior. In fact, bonding with your child is priceless.
• Your child’s mother will benefit from the child support you provide and from knowing that she’s helping to foster her child’s best interests. 
• Your child will reap the benefits of increased financial support, of building a close relationship with a loving father, and of the legal rights bestowed upon him or her as your child (including inheritance rights). 

An Experienced Chicago Paternity Attorney Can Help

If you need to establish paternity of your child – and to pursue your parental rights – the dedicated Chicago paternity attorneys at WARD FAMILY LAW understand how important this is to you and your child and are committed to skillfully championing your parental rights. For more information,  please don’t hesitate to contact us today.