Protecting Children by Establishing Paternity
Unmarried parents in Missouri — whether they live together or separately — have the same rights and responsibilities as married parents but may need to go to court to clarify those issues, especially if their informal arrangements eventually break down.
At The Schellert Law Firm, LLC, in St. Charles, we help fathers and mothers pursue paternity actions to ensure that their legal rights and those of their children are protected. Contact us for a free consultation with an attentive family law attorney.
Pursuing Parenting Plans and Child Support
There are several ways to legally establish a father's paternity. He can be listed on the birth certificate, he can complete an affidavit at the time of birth, or — if one or both parties are not sure who the father is — a DNA paternity test can be done.
Once a child's paternity has been established, child custody and visitation, as well as child support, are based on the same legal standards that are used during divorce.
A parenting plan for child custody and visitation clarifies the amount of time the child will spend with each parent and specifies who has decision-making authority over the child. A child support order ensures that both parents are contributing financially to the child's upbringing.
Putting Rights and Responsibilities in Writing
Often, unmarried parents who are not living together try to work out custody, visitation and support issues among themselves without getting formal court orders. While this may be workable in the short-term, these arrangements often fall apart in the long-term.
Child custody, visitation and support orders can benefit everyone by clarifying each parent's role. We represent parents who want to initiate paternity-related cases as well as parents who want to seek parenting time in response to child support enforcement actions.
Contact us today to discuss what a knowledgeable paternity lawyer can do to assert your rights as a mother or father.
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