Paternity Lawyer St. Louis, MO | Establishing Paternity

Paternity

Establishing Paternity Has Long-Lasting Benefits for You and Your Child

Establishing paternity is important for your child. It gives him or her the security of monthly child support and also gives your child important rights under the law:

The right to inherit property, Social Security or veterans’ benefits from the birth father
The right to have the birth father involved in the child’s life
The right to access the birth father’s medical history, including family history of cancer, heart disease and diabetes

The knowledgeable family law attorney at the Law Office of Amy L. Gervich has a track record of success in representing mothers who would like to pursue paternity claims and fathers who are interested in establishing parental rights or defending themselves against false paternity claims. Our lawyer has significant experience in family and paternity law matters, and we are committed to promoting the best interests of both you and your child.

Establishing Paternity in Missouri

A birth father may acknowledge paternity at the time the child is born with a declaration of paternity. By signing this document, the father’s name may be placed on the birth certificate. The declaration of paternity establishes him as the father. It does not grant him the legal obligation of child support, nor rights to child custody and visitation. That must be done separately through a court order.

If a birth father refuses to acknowledge paternity, the birth mother may pursue a paternity suit. If paternity is contested, the court will order a paternity test in order to be 98 percent sure. The man named as the birth father has the right to contest paternity based on a DNA test, but he must schedule a hearing within a limited amount of time or lose his right to contest the finding.

Our attorney at the Law Office of Amy L. Gervich can help the birth parent work out a favorable agreement for child support, child and visitation, avoiding the expense of costly litigation.

Contact Us Today for a Free Initial Consultation

Missouri paternity law is complex and constantly changing, making it difficult for people to represent themselves. At the Law Office of Amy L. Gervich, our lawyer zealously pursues justice for birth mothers and the children they have brought into the world, and protect the rights of birth fathers and men who have been wrongly named as birth fathers.

Contact us online or call 314-725-7901 today for a free initial consultation with an experienced paternity attorney. We represent mothers and fathers throughout the greater St. Louis, Missouri, area, including Clayton.