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Paternity

Chicago Paternity Lawyer

An unmarried father wants to be in his child’s life. An unwed mother is in need of financial support to raise her child. Fatherhood comes with both these rights and these responsibilities under Illinois state law. Our Chicago paternity lawyer understands the process that has to be followed to establish paternity and the most efficient ways to work through it.

Call (708) 742-7334 or contact us online. Payment plans are available.

How Paternity Is Established in Illinois

There are four ways that a father’s rights and responsibilities are formalized under Illinois law:

  • When the father is married to the mother, paternity is presumed. This also applies if a child is born within 300 days of a divorce. 
  • The Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity can be used when the parents are unmarried, but the father is ready to be in the child’s life. The VAP form can be signed at the hospital right after childbirth. A VAP can also be done at any point up until the child’s 20th birthday. 
  • Administrative Paternity Orders are issued by Child Support Services. This option can be pursued when the mother is seeking child support. The state can order a DNA swab of the man identified as the father in order to prove his paternity. 
  • Judicial Paternity Orders are needed when there is dispute between the mother and the alleged father. It may take a court order to get the necessary DNA swab to prove paternity. 

Contact our Chicago paternity attorney by calling (708) 742-7334 or filling out our online contact form.

The Benefits of Paternity

The benefits of paternity start with the opportunity the child has to have both of their parents in their life and enjoy a relationship with each one. But beyond this basic parent-child bond, there are financial and medical benefits that come with the establishment of paternity. 

For example:

  • A child can be included on the father’s health insurance plan
  • If the child were to develop medical problems, there will now be legal access to more detailed family tree information to understand the cause
  • If a father has served or is serving in the military, the child becomes eligible for their (the father’s) death benefits. The same goes for Social Security death benefits, regardless of military status. 

Furthermore, the father can have his visitation rights spelled out in a legal agreement. The same goes for the mother, in ensuing that she will get child support

A Chicago Paternity Lawyer You Can Trust

Attorney Nicole M. Scott and the staff here at NMS Family Law Firm make it a priority to personally connect with our clients and understand what they are going through. Our extensive legal knowledge and background is all the more effective when clients know they can be open with us. We want to help you next. 

Call our office at (708) 742-7334 or contact us online. We serve clients throughout the south suburbs.

Contact Us Today!

To learn how NMS Family Law Firm can help with your case, please contact our office.
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