IF YOU ARE THE MOTHER and the father denies his obligations, establishing paternity is an essential element of your claim for child support. The Missouri Uniform Parentage Act includes specific statutory presumptions and acknowledgments of paternity; and specific procedures for genetic testing and the establishment of paternity.
IF YOU ARE NOT THE FATHER you run the risk that you will be ordered to pay support for someone else’s child. When the mother files suit to collect child support, the court will assume that you are the father unless you fight the claim. Do not procrastinate! Choosing to do nothing is risky! If you later find out that the child is not yours, it may be too late.
IF YOU ARE THE FATHER you also have rights. You love your child and want to be a good father. However, in Missouri, unless you are married to the mother when the child is born, you do not have paternity rights until a judge rules that you are the biological father. Until you have a court order, the mother can have full custody of your child and make all of the decisions referable to your child, even if your name is on the birth certificate.
The issues of paternity are complicated. Allow us to help you.
To handle your child support or paternity matters, you need experienced St. Louis family lawyers to handle your case. We help both men and women in their paternity cases and fight to get them the results they want. If you or a loved ones needs help, you need one of the best paternity lawyers in St. Louis.
