Riverside Paternity Lawyer

Understanding the Personal Nature of Family Law

Family law, by nature, can include very personal matters. Paternity testing is a personal matter that will need to involve the assistance of a knowledgeable attorney. Whether you are a father who needs to protect your rights with your child or a mother who is fighting for alimony, we are available to help you through the process.

We can help by legally compelling an individual to take a DNA test or to help you reverse a declaration of paternity. It is essential to take immediate action for effective results.

Paternity laws can become very complex, on both a legal and emotional level. You can select our firm for aggressive and personal representation through your case. We understand that this is a sensitive manner and can respectively help you resolve the custody or other legal matter at hand.

Comprehensive Legal Support for Paternity Matters

When an unmarried couple has a child, they can petition the court to determine the parentage of the child and make custody and support orders. Both parents can voluntarily accept parentage or request that the court order a DNA test to verify the parentage. Once parentage is established, the court will be able to make custody, visitation and support orders. These orders are made in the same fashion as divorce and legal separation cases.

For custody and visitation, the parents will have to attend mediation; for child support, the income of both parents along with the amount of time they are with the child will be taken into consideration.

These situations can be difficult to handle, and it is important that you contact an attorney from our firm as soon as possible. We serve parents in Riverside, Corona, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Hemet, Murrieta, and the surrounding cities.

Common Questions and Answers Regarding Paternity

If the father is not listed on the birth certificate or did not sign a voluntary paternity at the time of birth, how do I prove he is the father? 
Either the father or mother can file a petition with the court and have the father establish the biological father of the child.

Do we have to go to court if we agree on the custody and support arrangements? 
You should still open a case with the court (file a petition) and then you can submit a judgment for the court to sign making your agreement enforceable.

My ex-wife filed for child support. She is claiming that I am the presumed father and that I raised my step-daughter as my own. I am not on the birth certificate and I am not the biological father. Can the court still order me to pay child support for a child that is not my biological child? 
Yes. Depending on the facts, you may be considered the presumed father under California law if you held yourself out to be the father and there is such a bond between you and your step-daughter that she views you as her father. This is a highly complex area of the law.