What Are The Benefits Of Establishing Paternity In Brentwood?
When married couples have children together in Brentwood, and throughout Tennessee, the law presumes that the husband is the biological father. In these instances, there is no reason to establish paternity either during the marriage or upon the dissolution of the marriage. The same is not true when unmarried couples have children together, though. In these situations, the same presumption of parentage is not made and the parents must establish paternity. There are many benefits of establishing parentage for both of the parents, as well as the child. Below, our Brentwood paternity attorney explains what these are.
Benefits of Establishing Parentage in Brentwood
Establishing paternity has many benefits for the whole family. These include:
- Spending time together: Barring extreme circumstances, most parents in Brentwood have the right to spend time with their child. After establishing paternity, fathers can petition the court for child custody and/or visitation in the event that the romantic relationship comes to an end.
- Obtaining child support: It is immensely challenging to raise a child on your own. Just as establishing paternity allows fathers to spend time with their child, it also allows single mothers to pursue child support to help with the cost of raising the child.
- Access to medical history: Children will not have any right to access their father’s medical records if paternity is not established first. Establishing parentage can ensure children are aware of health issues they are susceptible to, which can allow them to lead a healthier life.
- Access to health insurance: If the father has health insurance, establishing paternity can allow children to access those benefits.
The above are just a few of the most common benefits a family can reap when they establish paternity of a child, but there are others, as well.
How to Establish Paternity in Brentwood
Unwed parents can voluntarily acknowledge paternity immediately after the birth of the child, or at any point while the child is still a minor. Voluntarily acknowledging paternity is as easy as filling out a form and submitting it with the appropriate court.
Unfortunately, establishing paternity is not always so easy. There are times when the mother or the potential father may dispute the issue. In these cases, the two parties must typically go to court, where a judge will order a DNA test to verify whether the man in question is the biological father. If the test results show that they are the father, custody and child support issues can then be resolved. If the test shows that the man is not the father, the judge will likely dismiss the case.
Our Paternity Attorney in Brentwood Can Help Your Family
If you need to establish parentage, particularly if there is a dispute, our Brentwood paternity attorney at Beal | Crutcher can prepare you for the process and guide you through it so no mistakes are made that could hurt your case. Call us now at 615-861-2304 or contact us online to schedule a meeting with one of our experienced attorneys and to obtain the sound legal advice you need.
Source:
tn.gov/content/dam/tn/human-services/documents/Establishing_Paternity.pdf
