Paternity Attorneys in Bergen County

Paternity Guidance Backed by over 25 Years of Combined Experience

When the mother was married at conception, at birth, or during the 300 days before birth, New Jersey law may presume her spouse or former spouse to be the child’s legal parent. When parents are unmarried, legal parentage generally must be established through a Certificate of Parentage or a court proceeding. At Sherwood, Johnson & Poles in Bergen County, our family law attorneys represent mothers and fathers seeking guidance about legal paternity, child support, custody, and parenting time. Our paternity lawyers in Bergen County can help you understand the available legal path before you sign a parentage document or pursue court action.

Take the first step toward establishing paternity by contacting our Bergen County law office at (888) 224-1218 to schedule a consultation about your case.

What Is Required to Establish Paternity?

For unmarried parents, legal parentage can be established voluntarily or through a court proceeding when parentage is disputed.

The process may involve:

• Both parents complete and sign a Certificate of Parentage, including at the hospital or later through an authorized registrar or county social service agency.
• Either parent requests genetic testing when biological parentage is uncertain or disputed.
• A court or child-support agency requires genetic testing as part of a parentage proceeding.
• A judge enters a court order of parentage when the parties don’t agree to sign a Certificate of Parentage.

A Certificate of Parentage has legal consequences. Someone who is uncertain about biological parentage should obtain appropriate genetic-test information before signing. Genetic testing addresses biological parentage, while a signed Certificate of Parentage or court order establishes legal parentage. If both parties agree and follow the required process, a Certificate of Parentage may be rescinded within 60 days of signing, or by the date a support order is established, whichever comes first. Later challenges are subject to narrower grounds, such as fraud, duress, or a material mistake of fact.

How Legal Parentage Affects Rights & Responsibilities

Establishing legal parentage can provide a basis for a parent to seek custody, parenting time, and participation in decisions involving the child through the appropriate legal process. It doesn’t, by itself, resolve custody, parenting-time, or decision-making disputes. Those issues may require an agreement or a separate court order.

Legal parentage can also provide a basis for seeking financial support and may involve health-insurance responsibilities. A legal parent may have financial responsibilities even if that parent doesn’t live with the child. Depending on the circumstances, a child may also gain access to medical-history information and potential benefits connected to a legal parent, including certain inheritance, Social Security, veterans, or employer-sponsored health benefits.

Contact Our Bergen County Paternity Attorneys

If you wish to establish paternity, our family law attorneys can provide personalized guidance for your parentage question. With more than 25 years of combined legal experience, we maintain communication throughout your case and tailor our approach to your circumstances. We offer free initial case evaluations and evening appointments for clients in Bergen County and Passaic County, New Jersey.

Call our law office today at (888) 224-1218 to schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys about your paternity matter.