Parental and Paternity Rights

Helping You to Establish Paternity Rights

Establishing paternity is important not only for the child, but also for the father. Every child deserves to have two parents who care for them and act in their best interest. Unless and until paternity is established, your child may not have the two parents he or she deserves.

Why Paternity Matters in Wisconsin

Paternity allows a father to: request custody and/or placement of his child; have his name on the child’s birth certificate; and have his rights considered before his child may be adopted. 

In Wisconsin, there are three ways in which paternity may be established: 

• The mother and the father acknowledge paternity by filling out an Acknowledgement of Paternity form
• The court makes a ruling regarding paternity; or
  
•  When the mother and father marry after the child is born, both parents sign an Acknowledgement of Marital Child form

In cases where a child's parentage is uncertain, genetic tests are available. If you need assistance establishing paternity, the dedicated attorneys at Laster & Associates can help you.

The Effects of Paternity on Your Child

Your child deserves to know the identity of his or her father. While many benefits of having a father and knowing who your father is cannot be measured or defined by law, there are several important legal benefits your child is entitled to upon paternity being established including:

• Being able to receive financial support. In order for a court to award child support, paternity must first be established
• Your child’s entitlement to his or her father’s Social Security inheritance, and other benefits in the event of an accident or death
• If the father is Native American, establishment of paternity vests your child with tribal enrollment rights
• Knowing the father’s health history
• Eligibility for enrollment on the father’s health insurance plan

The paternity attorneys at Laster & Associates have helped many fathers establish paternity. We understand that no benefit is greater than your child having the knowledge of where he or she came from.

Establishing paternity is also very important for single mothers because a court will not award child support unless paternity is proven. Get the support your child deserves – contact our office to learn more about the benefits of paternity for your child. 

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