Why Is Paternity Important in Family Law Matters?

When a mother delivers a baby into the world it is very clear that the parent and child share a biological connection. Whether she delivers at home, in a hospital or in a different location a Wisconsin mother’s identity is generally easy to identify as she has to present when her child enters the world. However, if a mother is not in a relationship with her baby’s father or if she is unsure of who the father of her child is, knowing who the child’s second parent is can be much less obvious.

When the identity of a child’s father is in question a paternity test may be ordered to provide clarity on the issue. A paternity test checks the genetic material of a child against that of a man to see if they are biologically related. If there are sufficient similarities between the child’s genetic sample and the man’s genetic sample then a paternal relationship may be established.

Paternity grants rights in both the men who are determined to be fathers and the children whose fathers have been identified. A man who is deemed the father of a child may fight for custody of them so that they may foster a strong relationship. A child who is able to learn the identity of their dad may be able to pursue support from them to ensure that their needs are met.

Paternity is a complex topic and should be discussed with legal professionals who include it in their family law practices. Because the potential for mistakes and fraud to occur in the process of establishing paternity can be common, men who are subjected to paternity testing may wish to work with attorneys to help them avoid future problems with their purported children.