Establishing Paternity

Paternity means fatherhood. Jefferson County will help identify and locate a child's father. There are two ways this is done.

If the man named as the child's father denies being the father, or if the mother is unsure of who the father is, a legal action can be filed and genetic tests can be performed. Usually a father will admit paternity when genetic test results show he is the biological father of the child.
If the father continues to state he is not the father, he may ask for a court hearing, at which point the court will decide.

2. Father with child Voluntary acknowledgment of paternity.

If the man named as the father of the child agrees he is the father, he will be asked to sign an official form stating he is the father. The form is available to parents in many hospitals immediately following the birth of their child. If the form is signed in the hospital, the mother and the father do not have to appear in court to establish paternity for the child.

For more information about paternity, please see the state Web page on paternity.

Commonly asked paternity questions>>

Last Modified: Mar 28, 2009 10:18 PM