Paternity

There are several situations in which paternity must

be established to guarantee your rights as the parent

of the child. 

Often, paternity is an issue when a child is born to an

unmarried couple. In order to have rights as a parent, you

must petition the court to establish such rights. 

 

Also, paternity is an issue when a spouse expects a child

to be someone else's child. In California, It is presumed

that the married persons are the child’s parents. If there is

there is any doubt as to who the father of the child is, one can petition the court to determine paternity. 

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There are several ways to establish paternity. Signing a Voluntary Declaration of Paternity is one way to do it. If a declaration isn’t signed, and a parent's name isn't on the birth certificate, a court order is required.