Paternity Lawyer Lincoln, NE
One of the most difficult aspects of family law is questions of paternity and disputes over who the father of a child is. We understand that you have many questions, and, as your Lincoln, NE, paternity lawyer, we’re here to help ease your worries and help you through this tough time.
Whether you’re a mother seeking to establish paternity to secure child support to set a visitation schedule, a father questioning whether a demand for child support is legitimate, or otherwise have questions about the paternity of a minor child, trust the team at GordenLaw, LLC. We’re here to help you properly establish your child’s rights and ensure that you’re protected throughout the dispute. Call us today to learn more about how we can help.
A Lincoln Paternity Lawyer Helps You Understand Nebraska Paternity Laws
Paternity refers to legal fatherhood status. Each state’s laws vary; in Nebraska, if a woman is married at the time of the child’s birth, then her husband is automatically considered the child’s legal father. However, even if the mother is married at the time of the birth, the paternity of the child may still be disputed.
Parents who are unmarried at the time of the child’s birth must legally establish paternity. Typically, this is done by signing a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity, in which both mother and father affirm that the child is theirs. The form is signed before a notary and notarized, then submitted to the Nebraska Department of Health and Vital Statistics. Once the department receives the form, the signing father is added to the child’s birth certificate, legally affirming fatherhood’s rights and responsibilities, per NE law.
Why Is It So Important To Establish Paternity?
Children thrive when both mother and father are involved in their lives; establishing paternity grants the father those rights and legal access to his child. He can be involved in the child’s life and has the right to demand fair visitation and parenting time if he and the child’s mother are not living together.
Children are also entitled to know their father’s family medical history and genetic background, which can help them form a sense of self or be aware of potential medical complications they may have a genetic predisposition to.
If the child’s mother and father are not married or otherwise living and raising the child together, then establishing paternity becomes even more important. The child is entitled to support from the father, so determining his identity is essential to providing the child with that vital economic support.
The mother may also receive financial assistance from the father for medical costs incurred during the child’s birth and any child support payments in arrears (for up to four years).
How Can A Lincoln Paternity Lawyer Help Me?
Whether there is a paternity dispute or you’re having difficulties securing proper support from a child’s father, we can help you. We also represent fathers who wish to exercise their rights as a parent or men who question whether they are the fathers of a particular child. The legal team at GordenLaw, LLC, is beside you during this emotional time, advocating for your rights and interests. Call us today for a consultation.