Paternity Lawyers in Will County

Joliet, Illinois Parentage Attorneys

At the Davi Law Group, we routinely handle matters of family law for area clients who need quality legal representation. Our attorneys are equipped to help you in your efforts to establish parentage of your child and will assist you in understanding the process. Founding Attorney Dion U. Davi served in the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s office for almost three years, handling countless cases involving the establishment of parentage and paternity. He and his team can help you find the resources you need while providing the responsible advice necessary to navigate your situation. We can also provide answers to questions you may have about how parentage may affect you and your family.

Defining Parentage

A recognized relationship between a parent and child is known as parentage. Maternity, of course, refers to mother-child relationship, while paternity connects a father and child. In the vast majority of cases in Illinois, maternity is not at issue. Paternity, however, may be in doubt, and the establishment of paternity may be pursued by the mother, the child, or by a putative father. By filing a petition, the alleged father may be subject to DNA testing, and based, in part, upon a biological confirmation, a judicial order of parentage may be issued. Paternity can be important for many reasons, and often provides children access to additional benefits including inheritances, child support, and medical insurance.

Establishing Paternity in Illinois

It is very important to realize that a paternity determination will likely impact the rights and responsibilities of such concerns as child support, custody, adoption, parental relocation, and visitation. Under the law, there are a number of ways to establish legal paternity. A man may be presumed to be child’s legal father if:

• DNA testing proved a biological relationship;
• He was married to the mother of the child at the time of birth or conception;
• He subsequently married the mother and consented to his name being listed on the birth certificate; or
• He and the mother completed a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity (VAP) after the child’s birth.

The VAP form is available at several locations, including hospitals, health departments, and human services program offices. By signing the VAP, the father waives any right to DNA testing, and a signed VAP may be rescinded within 60 days of completion.

Men who wish to establish paternity can access and register with the Illinois Putative Father Registry for up to 30 days following the birth of the child. Failure to do so may result in the termination of parental rights. Upon registration, the man must initiate paternity proceedings within an additional 30 days.

Visitation Rights Based on Parentage

The Illinois Parentage Act of 1984 provides that a person required to incur a support obligation is granted rights of visitation. Such a person is presumed to be the non-custodial parent, while custody is presumed to be with the mother in most cases. There are a number of factors which may impact paternity issues and our team is prepared to help sort through them to determine a course of action that will benefit your family now and in the future.

For more details on parentage and paternity concerns, contact the Davi Law Group. We are proud to offer a no-charge consultation so that you can meet our attorneys and receive an objective evaluation of your case, which has a value of up to $325.00. Should you retain us as your counsel, financing options are available. Call today to schedule an appointment at one of our five office locations.