Parentage, Paternity and the Best Interests of the Child
Ideally, every child should have a relationship with both of his or her parents. California family courts are obligated to make decisions that support the best interests of children, and California law supports supportive relationships with both parents. When a child is born outside of a marriage or other committed relationship, questions of paternity (a legally recognized parent-child relationship) can arise that require the help of an experienced lawyer.
The Bacinett Law Offices helps clients by establishing paternity and making arrangements that provide for the best interests of the children involved, including visitation, custody and support orders. Contact us to speak to one of our attorneys about paternity, custody, child support or other family law concerns.
Help in Determining Paternal Rights and Responsibilities
While identification of biological maternity is generally easy, determining the identity of a child's father can present challenges in some circumstances. Once paternity has been established — under California law this can be done through blood testing or by other means — defining paternal responsibilities and arrangements for the future is an important legal task that needs to be done properly.
Where paternity is concerned, California law establishes certain obligations (financial support, in particular) and rights (custody and visitation, in particular) for fathers that are no different from those that would apply in a divorce case. With the help of an attorney, the mother of a child can pursue child support through a court order. In the same way, a father can seek the custody and visitation rights to which he is entitled. We represent both mothers and fathers in paternity cases.