Paternity is the legal procedure for determining the identity of the father of an unmarried mother’s child. The establishment of legal paternity is required in order to determine child custody, parenting time and child support. If you have questions about paternity in Arizona, contact a knowledgeable attorney at the law firm of Lasiter & Jackson in Phoenix.
If you are the father of the child at issue, our law firm can advise you about each stage of the paternity proceedings, from DNA testing and filing for custody and parenting time (visitation), to the calculation of child support payments. If you are the mother, we can also initiate a paternity case on your behalf. No matter which side of the paternity case you are on, our lawyers are able to answer your questions and protect your rights on child custody, visitation and child support matters.
Some paternity cases are initiated by the state in order to establish a child support commitment against a parent whose child has received public assistance. Other paternity cases are filed by one parent against the other in order to establish the right to receive payments on behalf of the child.
Child support, custody and visitation (parenting time) can generally be negotiated in the same proceeding. The issues of fact and law are the same as those presented in a divorce case. As in divorce, the best results are more often reached through negotiation than through a contested court hearing.
Whether you are the mother, the father or the alleged father, our law firm can advise and represent you in Arizona paternity proceedings. Contact the firm of Lasiter & Jackson in Phoenix.
