When a couple marries and welcomes a child into the world, Maryland law presumes the husband is the baby’s father. Sometimes, he is not if the couple is living apart and dating others, or if evidence of an affair surfaces before divorce.
Establishing paternity is important for a child because it helps define the parent-child relationship, confers financial help for a single mother, and allows the father to seek custody or visitation. If you wish to establish your role in a child’s life or gain peace of mind, our fathers’ rights attorneys can guide you through the process of paternity tests in Frederick.
Paternity is established by marital presumption, when both parents voluntarily execute an Affidavit of Parentage if the mother is single when the child is born, or by Court order. In all three scenarios, you should engage an attorney if you question paternity. Do not sign an Affidavit of Parentage before speaking with an attorney if you have doubts, although it can be rescinded if the signer finds out later that he is not the father. The father can sign even if he is married to another person or is younger than 18.
If one parent seeks to establish paternity in Frederick, the Court can order genetic testing of the parents and child to confirm who the father is. The Office of Child Support Enforcement may also file a request to establish paternity in your case. Both parents have an obligation to support the child, and DNA testing for paternity is a tool our lawyers can explain more fully.
When a woman alleges a man is the father of her baby and he refuses to have his DNA tested as proof, the Court can order one, although if he admits paternity, the test will be unnecessary. Genetic testing used to involve a blood draw, but now it only requires a saliva sample by passing a cotton swab inside the cheek. If you are the mother, you may have to provide information to child support services so they can find who you allege is the father and file a formal complaint to compel DNA testing.
DNA testing today will exonerate the alleged father or give the Courts and mother a percentage estimate that the man is the father. If the test comes back identifying the likelihood of paternity at 97.3 percent or more, the Court can set a hearing or trial to determine parenthood because that is the benchmark percentage for admitting the results into evidence.
If additional information is unearthed, a parent can challenge paternity in the future by filing a motion to open a new Court case or file one related to the original case establishing paternity. To negate a ruling, you can request genetic testing when you learn about erroneous findings or the Court makes a mistake. DNA tests in Frederick are overwhelmingly accurate, and you should consider talking to our lawyers to establish the paternity of your child.
If the alleged father denies paternity, child support enforcement will investigate your case further to prepare for trial. Your attorney will help you gather voicemails, text messages, photos, diaries, or anything in writing in which the alleged father admits to being your child’s father. Your attorney in Frederick will work with child support enforcement to build a case that will eventually be set for trial to establish parenthood, including using paternity tests.
Our attorneys support our clients who wish to establish paternity to give a child of a marriage or partnership all the advantages two parents can bestow. Whether you are a single mother holding an alleged father responsible or you were told you are the father of a child but are suspicious, peace of mind is available so you can work together for the greater good. Paternity tests in Frederick offer you a clear road forward for the choices you make for your child. Call our attorneys today and let us guide your family’s journey.
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