Paternity & Legitimation Lawyers

Paternity is established when a man is determined to be the biological father of a child. Now the father is legally financially responsible for his child but he cannot be granted visitation or custody rights until the child has been legitimized.

Legitimation is the process of establishing a legal relationship between father and child. Legitimation is necessary when a child is born, and the child’s father and mother are not married at the time. When a child has been legitimized, a father can be granted visitation and custody rights as well as the ability to pass on an inheritance to his child. The first step in this process is to petition the superior court in the county where the child’s mother lives. Additionally, child custody, parenting time or visitation rights with the child must also be specifically requested.