Protecting Everyone’s Rights

When a child is born to unmarried parents, paternity must be legally established in order for the father to have any legal rights or responsibilities. While it might sound like a technical process, establishing paternity plays a powerful role in a child’s life – both emotionally and legally.

What Is Paternity?

Paternity is the legal recognition of a man as a child’s father. It goes beyond biology – it’s about establishing a lawful connection that can impact custody, parenting time, child support, and more. Without legal paternity, a biological father may have no rights to their child, regardless of how involved they’ve been.

For mothers, it can be an essential first step toward receiving financial support. For fathers, it’s often the key to being recognized as a legal parent with a voice in the child’s life.

How Is Paternity Established?

There are two common ways to establish paternity in Michigan:

  1. Voluntarily – Both parents sign an Affidavit of Parentage (usually at the hospital at birth or later at a local office). This form acknowledges the man as the legal father.
    Important: Signing the affidavit alone does not grant any custody or parenting time rights. You must take the next step to seek a court order to establish those rights.
  2. By Court Order – If there is a dispute or uncertainty, paternity can be established through genetic testing ordered by the court. Once results confirm paternity, the court will issue an order, which can also address custody, parenting time, and support. Keep in mind – there are other factors that the court must consider to ensure this is in the child’s best interests.

Why Is Establishing Paternity So Important?

Beyond access to parenting rights or child support, establishing paternity opens doors for the child, including:

  • Health and life insurance benefits
  • Inheritance rights
  • Access to the father’s medical history
  • A full legal identity and family connection

And just as importantly, it gives both parents the opportunity to be present and involved in their child’s upbringing, creating a foundation for shared parenting and stability.

What Comes After Paternity Is Established?

Once paternity is legally recognized, the father can then pursue custody, parenting time, and decision-making rights. Many fathers assume that signing the Affidavit of Parentage or a birth certificate is enough, however without a formal court order, those rights remain limited.

At Woznicki Law, we guide both mothers and fathers through the next steps, helping families reach amicable, child-centered solutions that prioritize the child’s well-being while protecting everyone’s legal rights.

Let’s Talk About Your Rights

Whether you’re a mother looking to establish support, or a father seeking parenting time and legal recognition, you deserve clarity and confidence moving forward. Paternity is more than a legal form – it’s the first step toward a balanced and fair parenting relationship.

Paternity

Protecting Everyone’s Rights

When a child is born to unmarried parents, paternity must be legally established in order for the father to have any legal rights or responsibilities. While it might sound like a technical process, establishing paternity plays a powerful role in a child’s life – both emotionally and legally.

What Is Paternity?

Paternity is the legal recognition of a man as a child’s father. It goes beyond biology – it’s about establishing a lawful connection that can impact custody, parenting time, child support, and more. Without legal paternity, a biological father may have no rights to their child, regardless of how involved they’ve been.

For mothers, it can be an essential first step toward receiving financial support. For fathers, it’s often the key to being recognized as a legal parent with a voice in the child’s life.

How Is Paternity Established?

There are two common ways to establish paternity in Michigan:

  1. Voluntarily – Both parents sign an Affidavit of Parentage (usually at the hospital at birth or later at a local office). This form acknowledges the man as the legal father.
    Important: Signing the affidavit alone does not grant any custody or parenting time rights. You must take the next step to seek a court order to establish those rights.
  2. By Court Order – If there is a dispute or uncertainty, paternity can be established through genetic testing ordered by the court. Once results confirm paternity, the court will issue an order, which can also address custody, parenting time, and support. Keep in mind – there are other factors that the court must consider to ensure this is in the child’s best interests.

Why Is Establishing Paternity So Important?

Beyond access to parenting rights or child support, establishing paternity opens doors for the child, including:

  • Health and life insurance benefits
  • Inheritance rights
  • Access to the father’s medical history
  • A full legal identity and family connection

And just as importantly, it gives both parents the opportunity to be present and involved in their child’s upbringing, creating a foundation for shared parenting and stability.

What Comes After Paternity Is Established?

Once paternity is legally recognized, the father can then pursue custody, parenting time, and decision-making rights. Many fathers assume that signing the Affidavit of Parentage or a birth certificate is enough, however without a formal court order, those rights remain limited.

At Woznicki Law, we guide both mothers and fathers through the next steps, helping families reach amicable, child-centered solutions that prioritize the child’s well-being while protecting everyone’s legal rights.

Let’s Talk About Your Rights

Whether you’re a mother looking to establish support, or a father seeking parenting time and legal recognition, you deserve clarity and confidence moving forward. Paternity is more than a legal form – it’s the first step toward a balanced and fair parenting relationship.