Paternity

When a child is born out of wedlock, the issue of paternity must first be addressed. In many cases, there is a disagreement about the issue of paternity that must be resolved, usually through blood or tissue typing tests. In other cases, paternity is agreed upon, and no such tests are necessary. Once paternity is established, the parents need to address many of the same issues that arise in a divorce proceeding. The parents need to decide how decisions for the child will be made, what the parenting time schedule will be, and which parent will pay the other child support and how much. If the parents cannot agree on how to handle these matters, the court will hold a hearing and enter orders on these issues.