When a child is born during marriage, the law presumes that the husband is the biological father of that child. When a child is born outside of marriage, there is no such presumption. It is then important to establish paternity to determine the rights and responsibilities for the child.

Why Paternity is Important

Establishing legal paternity can play a major role in key areas including, child support and child custody. Until paternity is legally established, the child cannot claim financial support from the father. Additionally, the child may not be eligible to obtain other benefits through the father. These benefits might include an inheritance, social security, military and insurance.

At the same time, the father has no custodial or parenting time with the child. This means the father could be prevented from participating in decisions made for the child, including education and medical treatment.

How to Establish Paternity

Simply listing a father’s name on a birth certificate is not sufficient enough to establish paternity. The state of Arizona requires that a legal father be established for a child. This can be accomplished by one of the following:

• Court establishment
• Establishment through the Department of Economic Security
• Establishment through the Department of Health Services
• Voluntary establishment through the court

Once any of theses procedures is completed, the biological father then becomes the child’s legal father and paternity is then established.

The Help You Need

If you need help with establishing paternity, Crider Law is ready to help. You’ll work with aggressive family attorney Brad Crider who will help you through every step of the process. Our goal is to keep the process as simple as possible for you. Call us today to schedule a consultation.