Paternity determines whether or not a person is the father of a child. There are many reasons why one may want to establish paternity. You may have found the father of your child or perhaps the child is not yours. Either way, the best thing to do is to take action early on. Addressing the issue of paternity early on is always best for everyone including the child. Once you establish paternity, you can ask the court for other things such as parenting time and child support. There are several ways to establish paternity. If the mother and father were married when the child was born, the husband is presumed to be the father unless proof is provided by DNA testing that establishes that the husband is not the father of the child. If the parents were not married when the child was born, you can establish paternity by completing and signing the paternity affidavit at the hospital when the child is born. You would want to establish paternity if you are seeking child support, visitation, or custody of a child. You would want to disestablish paternity if you believe the child is not yours.

An experienced Columbus Ohio Child Custody Lawyer will be able to give you legal advice and can take the appropriate course of action. The friendly law office of Ralph A. Kerns & Associates is committed to providing excellent representation, which includes carefully explaining to our clients every legal option available to them under the applicable law. We are here to help you through this difficult time and we are always available to answer your questions. We have helped people through a wide range of family law and domestic matters for over 30 years. We are qualified to practice in any county in Ohio and familiar with each county's local rules. Through friendly service and aggressive representation, we ensure our client's rights are protected. We never hesitate to act quickly and efficiently when time is of the essence. Call today for a free consultation. Help is one phone call away!