What is Paternity?

Paternity, legally known as Parentage, is the established relationship between a father and his child. Determining legally who the biological father of a child is a necessary first step before determining if there should be visitation rights, parental rights and financial obligations, such as child support. Judge’s always decide issues of custody, parenting time, child support payments, decision making and parental responsibilities based on what the court deems to be in the best interest of the child. If the parents cannot come to an agreement regarding all matters relating to their children, then the court will carefully weigh the children’s best interests and hear all matters presented to the Court by the family law attorneys representing the parents to come to a final decision.

The Law Office of Tiffany M. Hughes is one of the most reputable and highly regarded family law firms in Chicago, Illinois. Our attorneys have extensive experience representing parents on both sides of paternity issues and will help you through the entire legal parentage process of obtaining DNA test results, filing motions in court for the determination of parenting responsibilities, visitation rights, and financial matters including child support and child related expenses.

How Do I Establish Paternity?

The substantiation of paternity is important, both for the benefit of the father as a parental figure, and for the wellbeing of the child. Therefore, the Judge must find that the man who is claimed to be the father of the children is actually the biological father to the children.

In Illinois, there are two ways to establish the paternity of the child.

1. The first way is by presumption or voluntary acknowledgment.

     Under Illinois Law, a man is presumed to be the natural father of a child if:

• The child was conceived or born while a man and the child’s mother were married;
• If a man and the birth mother got married after the child’s birth and the man signed the child’s birth certificate;
• If when the child was born, a man and the natural mother both signed a “Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity” or “VAP”; or
• If a man is not the biological father, but both signed an acknowledgement of parentage and a denial of paternity.

2. The second way of establishing paternity is with a DNA test. Either parent can request a DNA test in court to confirm that he is the father or to prove that he is not the biological father.

The Law Office of Tiffany Hughes – Experienced Paternity Lawyers

When it comes to your children, you need the best representation possible. When you have The Law Office of Tiffany M. Hughes representing you, you have the significant advantage of our superior negotiation skills coupled with renowned court room experience. With our Firm solely handling family law matters including parentage issues, you can be rest assured that you are in good hands. We are here to fight for your parental rights while ensuring your child is never caught in the middle.

We are an experienced and respected family law firm that can help you establish paternity and all matters relating to your children. We are highly experienced in creating all parenting plans which detail your visitation and decision making for your children. We take pride in protecting your parental rights and resolving all financial obligations, while ensuring what is best for your children. If there is no agreement regarding visitation, decision making or financial obligations, our attorneys are fully prepared to fight for you in court, if needed.

Contact Us Today

For more information on how the family law attorneys at The Law Office of Tiffany M. Hughes, P.C. can help you through the legal process of establishing paternity in Cook, Lake, DuPage, Kane, Will, McHenry and surrounding counties, contact us to schedule your complementary consultation today at 773-893-0228.