Who is the father?
In Georgia, a legal answer to that question can obviously have lasting and material consequences, and the ultimate “legal” determination might not seem immediately intuitive to some people.
In a particular case, a man might want to establish parental rights through a legal determination that he is the father of a child, while in another case a man deemed to be the father might want to challenge that legal status. A mother, conversely, might also seek a determination as to whether a particular man is the biological father of her child or to have paternity issues settled in order to collect child support payments.
Various aspects of paternity-related matters can be complex in Georgia, with an interested person being well served to contact an established family law attorney with experience navigating the legal processes associated with paternity.
In Georgia, there is a legal presumption that a child belongs to a woman and the man she is married to when the child is born. That might or might not actually be true. If not, the result is that the child has one biological father but also a second “legal” father responsible for his or her upkeep.
These days, DNA testing can quickly and accurately confirm whether a man is a biological father. It is another question as to whether a court will issue an order in such a matter.
Again, an attorney experienced with paternity law and processes in Georgia can provide knowledgeable and strong representation for any person seeking legitimation, a child support order or facing other paternity-related family law concerns.
Source: WTVM. “Local man asks for help proving paternity,” Brittany Dionne, Feb. 28, 2013
