Paternity Disputes
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Call 0208 826 1200 Make an EnquiryExpert Paternity Disputes Services & Advice
Disputes over paternity can be highly sensitive, often affecting not only legal rights but also family dynamics and personal relationships. Determining legal parentage can have significant implications for child maintenance, custody, and inheritance, requiring careful navigation of both legal and factual complexities.
We provide expert, evidence-driven guidance to individuals involved in paternity disputes, focusing on clarity, precision, and practical resolution. Our approach is tailored to the specifics of each case, whether that involves formal testing, negotiation between parties, or representation in court proceedings.
Paternity Disputes Services
We advise on all aspects of paternity issues, including:
-
Establishing or challenging legal parentage
Establishing or challenging legal parentage
Clarity on parentage is essential for legal rights and responsibilities. We assist in formally establishing or contesting paternity status.
- Applying for Declarations of Parentage
- Challenging assumptions of paternity
- Rectifying birth certificates
- Advising on the legal status of fathers
-
DNA and other forms of scientific testing
DNA and other forms of scientific testing
Scientific evidence provides the certainty required in disputes. We guide you through the process of court-approved testing.
- Directing accredited DNA testing procedures
- Interpreting complex DNA test results
- Advising on refusal to submit to testing
- Handling sensitive testing arrangements
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Parental responsibility and child maintenance implications
Parental responsibility and child maintenance implications
Paternity brings legal duties and financial obligations. We advise on how establishing parentage affects your rights and liabilities.
- Acquiring Parental Responsibility
- Calculating child maintenance liability
- Advising on inheritance rights
- Applying for Child Arrangements Orders
-
Court proceedings relating to paternity claims
Court proceedings relating to paternity claims
When agreement cannot be reached, the court must decide. We provide robust representation in all paternity-related hearings.
- Representing parties in Family Court applications
- Preparing evidence and witness statements
- Navigating complex contested hearings
- Enforcing court orders regarding testing
-
Strategic negotiation and dispute resolution
Strategic negotiation and dispute resolution
We aim to resolve sensitive disputes with dignity and discretion. Our goal is to find a resolution that minimizes conflict.
- Facilitating private negotiation between parents
- Drafting agreements on parentage and contact
- Using mediation to avoid court proceedings
- Managing communication to reduce acrimony
Establishing or challenging legal parentage
Clarity on parentage is essential for legal rights and responsibilities. We assist in formally establishing or contesting paternity status.
- Applying for Declarations of Parentage
- Challenging assumptions of paternity
- Rectifying birth certificates
- Advising on the legal status of fathers
DNA and other forms of scientific testing
Scientific evidence provides the certainty required in disputes. We guide you through the process of court-approved testing.
- Directing accredited DNA testing procedures
- Interpreting complex DNA test results
- Advising on refusal to submit to testing
- Handling sensitive testing arrangements
Parental responsibility and child maintenance implications
Paternity brings legal duties and financial obligations. We advise on how establishing parentage affects your rights and liabilities.
- Acquiring Parental Responsibility
- Calculating child maintenance liability
- Advising on inheritance rights
- Applying for Child Arrangements Orders
Court proceedings relating to paternity claims
When agreement cannot be reached, the court must decide. We provide robust representation in all paternity-related hearings.
- Representing parties in Family Court applications
- Preparing evidence and witness statements
- Navigating complex contested hearings
- Enforcing court orders regarding testing
Strategic negotiation and dispute resolution
We aim to resolve sensitive disputes with dignity and discretion. Our goal is to find a resolution that minimizes conflict.
- Facilitating private negotiation between parents
- Drafting agreements on parentage and contact
- Using mediation to avoid court proceedings
- Managing communication to reduce acrimony
Paternity Disputes FAQs
Here are answers to some common questions about our legal services for Paternity Disputes.
How do I legally prove I am the father?
If you are not on the birth certificate, you can request a DNA test. If the mother refuses, you can apply to the court for a Declaration of Parentage, where the court can direct that testing takes place.
Can I refuse a DNA test?
You can refuse, but the court may draw "adverse inferences" from your refusal—essentially assuming you have something to hide. It is rarely in your legal interest to refuse a court-directed test without a valid medical reason.
Does being on the birth certificate give me Parental Responsibility?
Yes, if you are registered as the father on the birth certificate (after Dec 2003), you automatically have Parental Responsibility. If not, you must acquire it via agreement with the mother or a court order.
If I am not the biological father, do I still have to pay child maintenance?
Generally, no. If DNA testing proves you are not the parent, you can usually stop paying maintenance and may even be able to reclaim overpayments, though this is complex. We advise on the financial unwinding of non-paternity cases.
How do I remove a father's name from a birth certificate?
This is difficult and usually requires a court order proving the named person is not the biological father (e.g., via DNA evidence). We can guide you through the application for a correction of the register.
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