Areas of Practice

Family Law

Domestic Violence

Criminal Law

PATERNITY

Paternity addresses issues that may arise for unwed mothers seeking to establish paternity for child support purposes as well as the rights of unwed fathers seeking parental rights. The process of having a man legally declared the father of a child is called “establishing paternity.” If the parties cannot agree on paternity, the first step in the process is establishing paternity through genetic marker testing. If a man is found to be the father of a child, the Probate and Family Court may enter orders for child support, health insurance, uninsured medical expenses, custody, visitation, and other issues related to a child born outside a marriage. Being declared the father of a child creates legal rights and responsibilities that have long term consequences for both parent and child.

If you are a mother seeking to establish paternity for child support, or a father seeking to challenge paternity or establish paternity for visitation, Attorney Barnes can help you protect your rights and pursue your interests in a paternity action.