Lee's Summit PATERNITY Attorneys

Altieri Gilmore LLP | 816-524-0404

At Altieri Gilmore LLP, our Lee's Summit based paternity attorneys have helped both mothers and fathers through the process of legitimation of their children, in turn making the father a lawful part of the child’s life.

Fathers in Missouri that are not married need to submit a paternity action to make sure their child custody rights are protected. Just because your name may be listed on a child's birth certificate does not allow a father to have enforceable custody rights for the child.

Why should fathers in Missouri establish paternity of their child?

It is very important for fathers to establish the paternity of their children for numerous reasons. The first and probably the most important reason is that it will give the child a sense of an identity to know who exactly their father is, and it also greatly benefits the child when parents share in the parenting responsibilities of the child.

A Missouri paternity action will give a father the right by law to have both frequent and meaningful time with his son or daughter. Once paternity is established for the child it will give a father the right to take part in important decisions that impact his child's life and future. Also when the paternity of the father is established by law, his child is then usually eligible to be covered under his employers health insurance plan and may also have the legal right to other benefits from the father such as inheritance, veteran's benefits and Social Security benefits.

After the paternity action has been put in place and the father and child relationship has been established, the father then has legal rights and also legal responsibilities in regards to his child. Both parents have the obligation by law to provide financial support for their minor children. In Missouri if a mother gets financial assistance from the state, the State will attempt to collect money from the father of the child if he has not provided financial support to the child in the past or since birth. Also after paternity as been established the father then will have the legal right to spend time with his child and can then enforce a child custody order or begin the court proceeding to acquire more custodial rights for the child.

In Missouri what may happen if a father does not establish paternity of his child?

The Missouri Division of Child Support Enforcement more than likely will put in place an administrative child support order even if paternity tests have not been admiistered and paternity has not been legally established. If this happens the father is required by law to pay child support for the child, but will have no legal right to see the child or make important life decisions for his child.

How can a father of a child establish paternity in Missouri?

One way a man can be recognized legally as the father of a child in Missouri is if a woman is married while she is pregnant or gives birth while married. At this time her husband is by law recognized as the father of the child unless a paternity court action determines that he is not the father of the child.

 

DNA Paternity Testing

There are many reasons why fathers should have their paternity tested with DNA testing besides the obvious emotional connection that a paternity test will establishes.

• The father will legally have the right to know the child through either child custody or visitation rights.
• The child will then be able to benefit from the father’s financial support.
• If the childs father passes away, the child will have a legal claim to his assets.
• The fathers government benefits such as Social Security or military pensions can legally be passed on to his children.

The laboratory dna paternity procedure is a very simple process - a q-tip swab of the epithelial tissue inside your mouth from your cheek.

.Our Missouri paternity attorneys can provide you with further advice and guidance about getting poaternity established for child custody, child support and fathers rights.

The benefits of a paternity test for your child will last for a lifetime.

If you have questions about establishing paternity with dna testing, call thelaw firm of Altieri Gilmore at 816-524-0404. We will be more than happy to explain these legal matters and to assist you in making a sound legal decision.

Call our law firm now for a free consultation with our paternity attorneys, 816-524-0404 Altieri Gilmore L.L.P.