Albany Paternity Test Lawyer

Protecting The Rights Of Unmarried Parents

Married parents going through divorce have equal rights to seek child custody and visitation. Unmarried parents, however, must first meet certain legal requirements before establishing custody and visitation rights. Paternity actions and legitimation are two legal processes by which unmarried parents can both establish and assert their parental rights.

In addition to representing parents in divorce, the law office of Thomas V. Duck III, P.C., assists unmarried mothers and fathers involved in paternity or legitimation actions. We represent clients involved in a wide variety of circumstances, from assisting single moms in seeking child support to protecting unwed fathers' rights to shared custody and visitation following parental separation.

Paternity And Legitimation

Under Georgia family laws, paternity is the process by which the biological father of a child is established. Fathers can fill out a Paternity Acknowledgement Form voluntarily to establish paternity, but if the child's parentage is in question, a DNA test may be required.

A paternity action establishes a father's biological relationship with the child, but not his legal rights. Legitimation allows an unmarried father to establish his legal parental rights if his child was born out of wedlock. Once legitimation is complete, a father can seek to establish his custody and visitation rights.

Only a child's biological father may seek legitimation, so in many cases, fathers wishing to obtain custody and visitation must go through both steps. By contrast, only a paternity action is required in order to seek or enforce child support.

The process of establishing your rights as an unmarried parent may seem obvious or straightforward, but we understand the complexities that can arise, especially where custody is in dispute. As an experienced family lawyer, Tommy Duck provides knowledgeable and dedicated support throughout the paternity/legitimation process. While many cases can be resolved amicably, he is fully prepared to defend his clients' rights should a trial become necessary.

Contact An Experienced Dougherty County Attorney For Legitimation And Paternity Actions

We understand the importance of helping parents, married or not, maintain meaningful relationships with their children. If you need assistance with child custody or support issues as a single parent, contact us by calling (229) 999-4147 toll free to speak with our experienced Albany paternity test attorney.