Paternity Lawyer in Salt Lake City
Unsure of a child’s paternity? Brown Family Law can help. Our Salt Lake City paternity lawyers can guide you through the legal process of establishing paternity, ensuring clarity and protecting the rights of all parties involved.
Our law firm has over 150 years of combined experience that we draw on when helping people in your situation. You can rely on a Salt Lake City family lawyer from our team to provide compassionate legal guidance designed to strategically help with your specific situation.
Why Hire a Paternity Lawyer in Salt Lake City, UT?
Hiring a family law attorney to help with matters involving paternity means you’ll always have someone putting you first and representing your best interests. Our team can assist you by:
Giving You Answers to Your Legal Questions
We believe in providing clear, straightforward answers to any questions you have in Salt Lake County. We understand paternity issues in family law and want to give you the information you need to make decisions about your future.
Explaining Your Legal Rights
Parental rights can feel like a complicated issue in Utah. Our family law attorneys will ensure you understand your rights and legal responsibilities, especially if you are the biological father of a child.
Standing by Your Side
We’re here to provide strategic legal guidance if you need assistance with issues involving fathers’ rights, child support payments, or other family legal matters. We’ll listen to you, ensure we understand your goals, and then work to help you achieve those goals.
What Is Paternity?
Paternity refers to fathering a child. If you doubt the paternity of your child, you may take a paternity action in order to legally establish who fathered the child.
Generally, in Utah, any child born to a married couple is assumed to be the child of the husband in the family. Children born out of wedlock do not have a presumed father.
Who Can File a Paternity Action?
Paternity laws in Utah allow multiple parties to file a paternity action, including:
- The mother of the child
- The father of the child
- The state of Utah
We can offer legal representation if you need to file a paternity action as part of the divorce process.
Why Establish Paternity?
Why is establishing paternity important? You may need to address issues with paternity in order to handle issues related to:
Child Support
Utah law requires a father to support his child, even if he is not married to the child’s mother. Genetic testing can establish whether or not you are the biological father of a child.
Citizenship
A child’s parents provide citizenship. If a child is born to an American father and a foreign mother, establishing paternity may provide the child with American citizenship.
Social Stigma
Establishing paternity may lessen the still-prevalent social stigma against children with no known fathers.
Benefits
Without establishing paternity, a child will have no right to inherit a father’s benefits, such as Social Security and veterans’ benefits. Additionally, proof of biological paternity can impact child support payments.
Rights
Upon establishing paternity, fathers get the right to request visitation and custody of their child, as well as the right to make crucial decisions regarding their child. We understand matters related to fathers’ rights, and we’re here to give you information about these issues.
How to Establish Paternity
There are two ways for unmarried people to establish paternity in Salt Lake City. You may consider:
Signing a Voluntary Declaration of Paternity
A father and mother can sign a voluntary declaration of paternity and then submit the declaration to the Department of Health, Vital Records and Statistics.
People can sign a voluntary declaration after the child’s birth, and signers have 60 days after signing to withdraw their signatures.
Filing a Paternity Action
You can also file a paternity action in court. When filing an action, a mother must prove that she is suing the father of her child. If the alleged father disputes paternity, a court will often order genetic testing. You should choose an experienced family law attorney to help you with your Utah paternity action.
Why Pick Us to Help With Paternity Issues?
Our paternity attorneys in Salt Lake City understand what you‘re going through if you’re unsure about the parentage of your child. We’ll focus on ensuring you understand your situation and developing a personalized plan to help you achieve your goals.
You can schedule a consultation today to learn more about how we can assist you.
Talk to Us About Your Paternity Claim in Salt Lake City
You can turn to our team at Brown Family Law when you need help from a Salt Lake City paternity attorney. Our family law firm has the experience and resources to put you first and provide compassionate assistance throughout the legal process.
We can help with other aspects of divorce proceedings, including property division and issues related to spousal support.