Turning Fear Into Power

Paternity Attorneys in Staten Island

Staten Island Divorce Lawyer for Paternity Cases

Are you a parent who needs to establish the paternity of your child in order to collect child support? Have you been alleged to be the father of a child for whom you want to determine paternity? We can guide you through the legal process of establishing or disproving paternity of a child. If you need to establish the paternity of your child in Staten Island, Brooklyn, or in the New Jersey counties of Monmouth or Middlesex, you can do so with our legal assistance.

Paternity Cases With Staten Island Divorce Attorneys

The Paternity process legally establishes the biological father of a child when it is uncertain or has not been previously established. Paternity arises as a legal issue in cases of child support, but it can also be an issue when it comes to other family law areas, such as adoption, custody, visitation, inheritance, and health care. In New York, clear and convincing proof of paternity is required. This proof can be accomplished through DNA testing.

DNA testing is usually required when one party contests the allegations of paternity. An alleged father may contest paternity when required to pay child support payments for a child he believes is not his. A mother may contest paternity when a father tries to gain custody or visitation rights to a child which he believes is his. Paternity can also be established through circumstantial evidence, such as when a man accepts a child as his own and raises the child. If he does not contest the paternity of this child during a certain time period, then he may be considered the legal father and be responsible for the child's financial support.

Paternity matters have lifelong financial and emotional implications for all parties involved. It is important to have a full understanding of your legal rights before you admit or deny paternity of a child. We can help protect your legal rights and fully inform you of the legal consequences of your paternity issue.

Contact us today for legal counsel regarding any paternity case.

Have Questions?

We Have Answers!

I Just Got Served With a Temporary Order of Protection, Does This Mean That I Cannot See or Call My Children?

If you have been served with a Temporary Order of Protection, you need to be careful about the interaction you have with the person protected by that order. It is important for you to review the terms of that order with an experienced family law attorney before you do anything. This will ensure that you are conducting yourself in accordance with the terms of the order and that you remain free of the threat of criminal prosecution.
My Child Is 6 Years Old, and My Former Partner Is Not Paying Child Support; Is It Too Late for Me to Seek Support at This Time?

No, it is not too late. Your child is entitled to receive child support until age 21, you can file for child support for the child at any time before the child reaches the age of 21. With that said, all cases fact sensitive and you may want to consult with Attorney Dow before filing an application.
Do I Need to Live in New York to File for Divorce in New York?
Before you can obtain a divorce in New York State, you must meet one of the following residency requirements:
- The parties resided in New York as husband and wife, and either party lived in New York for one year or more prior to filing.
- The cause of action occurred in New York, and either party lived in New York for one year or more prior to filing.
- The cause of action occurred in New York, and both parties live in New York at the time of filing.
- Either party has lived in New York for two years or more prior to filing.
The court cannot maintain jurisdiction over a divorce action unless one of these five residency requirements exists. Any challenge to residency must be raised during the divorce proceedings, and will not be entertained post judgment.