Valley Center Parentage Attorneys

Every child has the same right to know his or her own identity, medical and family history, and be supported financially from both parents. Additionally, parents each have the right to a relationship with their children. In cases in which paternity is unknown, the father misses out on the rights and duties to his child, and the child misses out on a relationship with his or her father.

Establishing Paternity

If a child is born to unmarried parents, the child has no legally-established father until paternity is established. In other words, the father has no legal rights to make important decisions in the child’s life and holds no legal visitation rights. In addition, the child has no right to the father’s:

• Financial support
• Insurance
• Benefits, including social security and veterans’ benefits
• Inheritance or estate

Paternity disputes directly affect a father’s right to see, support, and care for his child. It also affects a child’s emotional well-being and sense of identity. A DNA test can determine paternity with almost complete accuracy and can help a father establish his biological bond with a child or can help a mother get the child support that she needs from a child’s true father.

Contact Us

A father deserves the right to know and hold a relationship with his child. Similarly, a child deserves to know his or her own father and deserves the support of both parents. If you need assistance establishing paternity, the Valley Center paternity lawyers of Fischer & Van Thiel, LLP can help. Contact our offices today by calling 760-722-7646.