Paternity

Has Unestablished Paternity Stood In The Way Of Your Rights?

When a child’s paternity is contested or not legally established, all parties — mother, father and child — can be deprived of essential or cherished rights. A child may suffer from the lack of emotional connection and financial support from their father. A father can be deprived of visitation and custody. A mother may not receive the much-needed child support or healthcare benefits needed to ensure her child’s welfare.

Establishing paternity has many moving parts and just as many implications. Once established, paternity carries with it new rights and obligations that a father may or may not have considered.

Then there’s the process, which involves DNA testing, complex paperwork, settlement negotiations and hearings. Whether you’re the mother or the father, the rights and obligations you seek to enforce are too important to leave to chance. To ensure your rights are secured and protected, you need the guidance of a skilled paternity dispute attorney.

The Law Office Of Sandra F. Banks: Delivering Results To Bay Area Paternity Clients

Sandra Banks has more than three decades of experience practicing family law in Oakland, California. She has helped countless clients like you achieve favorable outcomes in their paternity cases by providing thoughtful and creative legal solutions tailored to their unique circumstances.

Whether you’re a father seeking to secure custody rights or a mother seeking child support, you’ll want to ensure success by having an experienced paternity lawyer by your side when you file your petition to establish a parental relationship.

What Are The Steps To File A Paternity Case In California?

If you (the “petitioner”) are filing a paternity or “parentage” case in California, you begin by gathering the proper forms. Different forms are needed depending on whether you’re filing for child support, custody, visitation, adding the father’s name to the birth certificate, or securing rights of inheritance or benefits.

Once the forms are filled out, you file them with the Superior Court in the county where the child lives and serve them on the other parent (the “respondent”). If paternity is disputed, a DNA test in a court-approved lab will be required. Either party can request the court to order the DNA test.

After the papers are served, the court may:

• Set a status hearing to review the test results
• Set a trial date if paternity is contested
• Issue temporary custody or child support orders

If both parties agree regarding parentage, or if the DNA test proves paternity, the judge will issue a Judgment of Parentage. This judgment then clears the way for you to pursue custody, visitation or child support orders.

Sandra Banks Will Guide And Support You Through The Paternity Process

You could file a Petition to Establish Parental Relationship on your own and represent yourself in court. However, if you make any procedural mistakes, you’re taking a significant risk with the outcome. For this reason, there are services a paternity lawyer can provide that greatly improve your likelihood of success.

Sandra Banks will work for the best outcome possible by:

• Filing the necessary forms with the court
• Representing you at hearings if paternity is contested
• Gathering and presenting evidence
• Protecting your interests in child support, custody and visitation negotiations

Take A First Step To Establishing Paternity Today

If you’re ready to pursue and secure your rights by filing a paternity case in California, you need the guidance and support of a respected paternity lawyer. Call the Law Office of Sandra F. Banks at (510) 336-2369 today or visit our client contact page to schedule a free, 20-minute phone consultation.