Paternity and Unmarried Parents' Issues in Arizona
State law draws very few distinctions between married and unmarried parents when it comes to protecting the rights of children or resolving disputes between parents. The child of unmarried parents needs to be housed and fed, and a single mother or father still needs a stable and secure relationship with the child.
If you have questions about paternity, child support or custody issues in Greater Phoenix, contact a family law attorney at Deloughery & Ruotolo, P.C. We serve the needs of unmarried parents throughout the Phoenix metro area.
Call 602-639-4618 for Advice About Paternity and Parental Rights
We represent both mothers and fathers in paternity actions, child support matters, and disputes over parental rights. In the age of DNA testing, paternity actions to establish the identity of a child's father aren't what they used to be. Determining paternity is usually the simplest issue in a child support case.
If you're facing a paternity action initiated by the state to recover child support, there are two good reasons for obtaining legal advice. First, you'll probably be better off negotiating a plan for back payments and future obligations than you'll be in fighting the garnishment of what might be overstated support claims. Second, a state-initiated paternity action won't result in custody or parenting time rights unless you intervene on your own behalf or through counsel.
Our lawyers also advise unmarried mothers and fathers about the most effective ways of resolving disagreements over physical custody, legal custody and important decisions about a child's education, health care or recreational activities.
Just as in divorce, a court will resolve a dispute according to the best interests of the children involved. Parents can retain more reliable control over the process when they can negotiate and agree to reasonable arrangements.
Deloughery & Ruotolo, P.C., advises unmarried parents about the modification and enforcement of child support and custody commitments as well as the original obligations. For more information about your parental rights and obligations during or following the determination of paternity, contact us in Scottsdale.
