Is your ex-partner preventing you from being the father you want and deserve to be? Call Kathleen Gomez to learn what establishing paternity can do for you and your child’s future.
Marital or relationship break-ups are always hard on any couple, but they're even more devastating to children. Children are particularly vulnerable because they rely on you for security. They cannot control how a break-up or divorce will disrupt their lives.
Children thrive in a safe and stable environment characterized by routine and consistency. Your break-up or divorce will inevitably change that. You and your ex might agree that your child shouldn’t be a pawn or collateral damage in the aftermath of your relationship, but that’s not what always happens.
If your ex-partner or spouse is casting doubts about your paternity to deny your parental rights, there are steps you can take. Kathleen Gomez has helped fathers like you in Ramsey and greater Anoka County establish paternity and secure their legal rights. She understands the importance of a responsible, caring father’s role in his child’s life.
Aside from giving your child the comfort of knowing who their father is and knowing that he cares enough to be involved, there are other good reasons for establishing your biological paternity.
In Minnesota, the mother of a child is automatically considered a legal parent. If you and your partner are unwed, your status as a legal parent is not presumed, and your name can only go on the birth certificate once legal steps establish that proof.
Established paternity defines you as a legal parent of your child. It is the key to meaningful access and participation in your child's life. Until that happens, an unmarried biological father has no parental rights or obligations. Once established, paternity obligates you to support your child financially but also grants you the right to pursue custody and parenting time in court.
If you want to take a paternity test, you can have your attorney file a paternity action. In that action, you will petition the court for an order requiring a DNA test. This order will compel the child's mother to participate in the test and make the child available for testing. The DNA of all three of you is necessary for the test results. The results are 99% accurate and, therefore, considered definitive proof of paternity.
Without established paternity, the mother of your child has sole custody and the legal rights to make all life decisions regarding your child’s health and welfare without your input. With established paternity, you’ll have the right to:
The Minnesota Voluntary Recognition of Parentage Form establishes a legal relationship between you and your child if you're unmarried. However, you and the child's mother must sign the form to make it valid. Also, if the child’s mother is remarried, her spouse must sign too.
This form, filed with the Minnesota Department of Health, can be a practical workaround to the legal and procedural red tape of taking a paternity test, but only if both parents agree to sign. If the mother is contending you're not the child's father, and you believe you are, a paternity test would still be required to prove you’re the biological parent.
If you are unsure that you are the child’s biological father, do not sign a Recognition of Parentage Form. Take a paternity test first. While your signature can be revoked within 60 days, after that, the form carries the weight of a court order and can only be undone by the court.
Is your ex-partner or spouse manipulating the truth or circumstances to deprive you of your parental rights? Choose a skilled family lawyer who will sort out your family conflict and fight to protect you and your child.
Kathleen Gomez has deep roots in the Twin Cities law enforcement. She was a police officer for 20 years and worked to provide legal services to underserved communities at the beginning of her law career.
In that time, she saw the damage that divorce, separation and domestic violence can cause. She was and continues to be committed to helping those in need. She brings empathy and professionalism to handling the family law issues of Ramsey and Anoka County clients like you.
If you’re dealing with a family law issue alone - divorce, custody, child support or paternity - contact Gomez Law PLLC today for an initial consultation.
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