• Complaint to Establish Paternity in Massachusetts

  • Getting Child Support in MA.

 

PATERNITY CASES:

Legal Guidance Throughout the Process.



Paternity is the legal and social acknowledgment of the parental relationship between a child and his or her father. There are those who know for sure the father of a child. Truth is, in some cases it's hard to tell, and can turn into a difficult legal matter.

establishing paternity

A Complaint to Establish Paternity is the legal action under Massachusetts law used to establish court orders defining who the Father of a child is and what rights and obligations the parents each have with respect to the minor child. Depending upon your situation, you may need to file a Complaint for Support, Custody and Visitation instead of a Complaint to Establish Paternity.

These two different types of Complaints provide grounds upon which the Massachusetts Probate & Family Court will make decisions dealing with the care and support of a child born out of wedlock. It is important that you file the correct Complaint depending on the facts of your case.

Complaint to Establish Paternity:

These are filed when the Father has not been legally determined to be the parent of the child in question. This means that the Court has not yet recognized who the legal Father of the child is. This often occurs because the father did not sign a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity at the time of the child's birth, and not placed on the baby's birth certificate. Once the Father has been adjudicated to be the Father, either through a DNA test or by agreement of the parties, then the Court can make decisions regarding appropriate child support, back-payments for support arrears, and custody and visitation plans. Either parent can file a Complaint to Establish Paternity.

Complaint for Support, Custody and Visitation

In the event the Father signed a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity, or otherwise been adjudicated by a Court to be the legal Father of the child, then there is no need to establish Paternity and the Court can proceed directly to issues of support, custody and visitation. For this purpose the Massachusetts Court requires that a Complaint for Support, Custody and Visitation be filed.

If you are a parent of a child born out of wedlock, it is important that you understand your rights in a Paternity case in Massachusetts. Philomena A. Barboza, Attorney at Law, is a family law attorney with experience in paternity cases. When facing a paternity issue, any party in interest, the mother, the father, or the child, can ask the court for a determination. A determination means a lawsuit can be brought by a private party, or by the state. Typically, a private action for paternity is usually brought by the mother in order to get support. No matter what paternity issue you are facing we are here to help. We can work with you to determine the best course of action. We offer confidentiality and quality client focused care.

For help understanding the different legal aspects and full benefits of legally establishing Paternity for you and your child under Massachusetts law, simply contact Attorney Barboza.

scales of Justice Philomena A. Barboza is a lawyer dedicated to providing you with legal representation that is aggressive, compassionate and affordable.
Reasonable attorney fees and payment plans.

Call today: 508-536-3115


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