Hanover Park, Illinois, Paternity Lawyers
Illinois law assumes that children conceived during a marriage or are conceived to couples who later marry each other are the offspring the husband. Therefore, when there is any question of paternity it is important to have a DNA paternity test performed.
In addition, children are frequently born to parents who are not married. In those cases the mother often sues to obtain child support and the father often sues to establish parenting time, visitation. These are called Parentage or Paternity cases. With limited exceptions, either parent may bring a Parentage case and obtain an order for DNA testing.
The Law Offices of Elliot Heidelberger is committed to helping parents establish the paternity of children, when the parentage is in question. Establishing paternity is crucial since it provides the basis for, or relief from, child support, establishes inheritance rights, may lead to adoption by another adult, and creates rights to or bars claims for custody and parenting time (visitation).
Establish Paternity in Illinois
DNA tests can determine paternity with 99.99% accuracy. Paternity affects not only the father's rights to see his child, but also his obligation to support that child. Paternity can also be established by signing a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Parentage (VAP). Once this document is signed, the signor has only sixty days to rescind the signature before the document becomes determinate. However, whether the Voluntary Acknowledgement of Parentage was voluntarily signed can be challenged if the signor can show that it was obtained by fraud, duress, or material mistake of fact. Potential fathers should be aware that if they are not married and they sign a VAP, they lose their rights to have a DNA test performed.
Contact Our Northwest Suburban Chicago Paternity Lawyers
Our paternity lawyers represent clients throughout the northwest suburbs of Chicago including Hoffman Estates, Palatine, Schaumburg, and Arlington Heights. If you are currently involved in a divorce or are considering filing for divorce and need legal advice regarding the paternity of a child, please contact the Law Offices of Elliot Heidelberger.
