For most parents, the birth of their child is among the most joyous occasions of their lives.  If you have a child that was born when you were not married to the other parent, the joy of your child's birth can be followed by the agony of separation if you and the other parent part ways.  Paternity actions are filed to define the roles of the parents and take a lot of the guesswork out of the question of when each parent will see the child and how the parents will support their child.

A paternity action is filed for parents who are not married to each other to legally resolve:

• The parentage of a child;
• The parenting arrangement for that child; and
• To set the amount of support to be paid for the child.

In Missouri, at the time of the birth of a child, the presumed father is asked to file an affidavit stating that he is the father of the child.  The mere filing of the affidavit does not, however, mean that for all purposes he is the father of the child.

If a mother asks the State for assistance in setting child support, the man who has been named as the father of the child can ask for DNA testing.  Then, the State will seek paternity testing.  If the DNA testing shows that you are the father, the State will seek to impose child support.

It is important to remember in proceeding with the administrative -not court -child support order, that the father will not be given any parenting time with the child he is administratively ordered to support.  If the father wants to see and visit with the child, that action must be brought before a Court in a separate paternity action.

The lawyers at The Earnshaw-Hobbs Law Firm understand how important your child is to both of you.  We are experienced in helping mothers and fathers to set up not only the amount of child support that will be paid for their child, but also to help the parents get a parenting plan that spells out the parenting time set aside for each parent.  For more information with regard to child support, click here.

Call our office today to begin the process of spelling out the rights and responsibilities of each of you as parents.