Oklahoma City Paternity Lawyer

If you have a child outside of marriage, as a man, you won’t automatically have access to the child or be able to exercise your parental rights. To do that, you need to fill out an Acknowledgment of Paternity form and petition the court for parental rights. An Oklahoma City paternity lawyer can help you with this process.

Trust Bundy Law

If you need to prove the parentage of your child, you can trust the Oklahoma City family lawyers at Bundy Law to help. We have extensive experience in family law, including interpreting paternity laws. Our team is comprised of acclaimed legal professionals, including Oklahoma’s only International Academy of Family Lawyers-certified attorney.

Why Hire a Paternity Lawyer?

In cases where parentage is disputed, 10-30% of paternity tests show that the man tested is not the biological father. That number drops to 1-4% in the average population. Around 35% of all Oklahoma children live in single-parent homes, most often with their mothers. Given that establishing paternity confers both rights and responsibilities upon biological fathers, it should come as no surprise that the situation can get complicated.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a child’s biological father and you want to prove your paternity so you can take advantage of your parental rights, or you’re a child’s mother and need to prove paternity so you can gain access to financial support. You can hire a paternity lawyer to help you navigate the complex legal system surrounding paternity, child support, child custody, and related issues.

What Is Paternity?

Paternity is defined as legal fatherhood. It doesn’t necessarily refer to biological fatherhood, although most of the time, it does. Establishing paternity allows fathers to exercise their parental rights and ensures that mothers get the support they need in raising their children.

There are four ways to establish paternity in Oklahoma City:

1. Be married to the child’s mother. If you’re married to the child’s mother, paternity is assumed, even if you weren’t living together at the time.
2. Fill out a form. You can fill out an Acknowledgement of Paternity form upon your child’s birth or later in life. If the mother is married to someone else, that person must also sign a Denial of Paternity form prior to the child’s second birthday for you to petition for parental rights.
3. Court process. In some cases, men are court-ordered to take DNA tests to prove or disprove their paternity. This is often the case when child support orders come into question.
4. Adopt the child. Even if a child is not biologically yours, you can establish paternity by adopting that child.

A Father’s Rights

In Oklahoma, fathers have the same rights as mothers when it comes to spending time with their children and making legal decisions on their behalf. Once you’ve proved the paternity of your child, you can petition the court for sole or joint physical or legal custody of your child. You can also request visitation rights if you are a non-custodial parent.

Establishing paternity also gives you access to information about the child. Once you’ve proven that you’re the father, you can gain access to school and medical records, provide the child with health insurance, and be a part of their life without other restrictions, provided they are not court-mandated.

A Father’s Responsibilities

Fathers also have certain responsibilities that may arise in paternity testing. If you’re a mother who wants to request a child support order, you’ll need to be able to prove the paternity of your child. You can get a court order for DNA testing of the person you believe to be the father, or get him to sign an Acknowledgement of Paternity voluntarily.

Once paternity has been established, your child has the right to financial support from their father. You can apply to receive child support payments through the court from the child’s biological father, even if you were not married at the time of their conception.

FAQs

How Much Does It Cost to Establish Paternity in Oklahoma?

The cost to establish paternity in Oklahoma varies depending on the circumstances of your case. The cost of hiring an Oklahoma City paternity attorney can vary significantly. Some attorneys charge flat fees, while others require retainers. The simplest way to find out what it will cost to establish paternity is to contact a family law firm to request a consultation.

What Is the New Paternity Law in Oklahoma?

The new paternity law in Oklahoma is House Bill 3193, which became effective on November 1, 2022. HB 3193 grants unmarried parents equal rights if they sign an Acknowledgement of Paternity form. Prior to the passage of this law, sole custody defaulted to mothers if children were born to unwed parents.

What Rights Do Fathers Gain Through Proving Paternity?

The fathers’ rights gain through proving paternity include the rights to seek custody and visitation and make major decisions about how the child will be raised. Additionally, proving paternity gives children access to benefits such as inheritance, health insurance, and Social Security and establishes the father’s legal responsibility to provide financial support if mandated by the courts.

How Can You Prove Paternity in Oklahoma?

In Oklahoma, to prove paternity, you should sign an Acknowledgement of Paternity form. In cases where the biological father does not want to admit paternity, DNA testing may be required. Most DNA tests are non-invasive, using a simple cheek swab to obtain genetic information from the potential father and the child.

Your Oklahoma City Paternity Lawyer

Fathers should have the right to be a part of their children’s lives. They have to prove paternity first, though. You can get the help you need to prove paternity and gain parental rights from an Oklahoma City paternity lawyer. Bundy Law can help. We’ve taken on countless paternity cases, so we know what it takes to show the court that you are your child’s biological father. Contact us to schedule a consultation with a member of our legal team today.