Are you a father navigating child custody, divorce, or support issues in Seattle? Twyford Law Office offers experienced attorneys ready to fight for your rights. Contact us today at (206) 590-7085 for personalized legal assistance tailored to your family law needs.

A Seattle paternity and fathers’ rights lawyer at Twyford Law Office is dedicated to making sure that you receive the time you deserve with your children. Our seasoned family attorneys have years of experience representing clients in cases involving child custody, child support, divorce, property division, and more.

Table of Contents

  • Our Paternity and Fathers’ Rights Attorneys Are Ready to Help
  • Fathers Are Important in Children’s Lives
  • Voluntarily Establishing Paternity in Washington
  • Voluntarily Establishing Paternity in Washington
  • Contact an Experienced Seattle Paternity and Fathers’ Rights Attorney

It is imperative you know your rights as a father under Washington law. The details of the law can be complicated and hard to understand. At Twyford Law Office, our Seattle paternity and fathers’ rights attorneys understand these laws and relate their meaning to you, making the process less stressful and disruptive to your life.

Our Paternity and Fathers’ Rights Attorneys Are Ready to Help

Establishing paternity entitles you and your child to several rights, including the rights to:

  • Enforce visitation and custody rights;
  • Participate in decisions regarding the upbringing of your child;
  • Provide insurance coverage for your child;
  • Provide your child with benefits in the case of your disability/death;
  • Receive notice of any adoption proceedings;
  • Pay child support; and
  • Get access to medical histories.

The paternity process often requires genetic testing, affidavits, and filing declarations of paternity within limited timeframes. If you miss these deadlines, your ability to establish or deny paternity can be compromised. The help of professional legal counsel from Twyford Law Office ensures you avoid unnecessary mistakes in the paternity process.

Fathers Are Important in Children’s Lives

Washington has laws in place to help protect children and the parent/child relationship. When problems arise within the realm of these relationships, they are resolved in the family court system.

As the traditional family structure changes, mothers and fathers are taking on more equal roles in their children’s lives and development. Courts now work to keep both parents equally involved when child custody issues arise in court. A paternity and fathers’ rights lawyer in Seattle can assist fathers in maintaining their roles in their children’s lives.

Voluntarily Establishing Paternity

When a child is born to unmarried parents, the parents must take additional steps to establish that child’s paternity. In cases where a couple is married, it is automatically assumed that the mother’s husband is the child’s legal and biological father, and no additional legal action is necessary to establish paternity.

In Seattle, Washington, there are voluntary and involuntary methods for establishing a child’s paternity when their parents are unmarried. In the voluntary process, both parents review and sign a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity form. This can happen at the birthing center or hospital when the child is born or later at the Division of Child Support office or health department.

Involuntarily Establishing Paternity

When either the child’s mother or presumed father disputes paternity, an involuntary process is used to establish paternity. This is done through a court case in which the court issues an Order Establishing Parentage. This legally establishes the child’s father.

The mother, the alleged father, the child themself, or an agent of the state can file a motion with the court to begin court proceedings establishing parentage. If either party denies the child’s paternity or is uncertain, the judge can order a DNA or genetic test to prove the child’s biological father.

Once the child’s paternity has been established, the judge can make other determinations such as child custody, visitation, and child support. For fathers facing these decisions, a Seattle paternity and fathers’ rights attorney can provide essential legal support and representation.

Contact an Experienced Seattle Paternity and Fathers’ Rights Attorney

It is important to retain an experienced attorney to help determine paternity and fathers’ rights issues. If you are concerned about any of these matters, Contact us today at (206) 590-7085 to speak with a Seattle paternity and fathers’ rights lawyer. We can help you protect or assert your rights as a father.