When a child is born to parents who are neither married nor cohabitating the issues of related to inheritance, support and even custody are likely to arise.

Georgia law can be confusing and complicated on the rights of unwed parents.  All too often, parents believe incorrectly that the registering father’s name on the birth certificate of a child is all they required to secure certain rights. The lawyers at Smith & Files Law understand the rights of unwed parents and have remarkable experience in assisting clients in establishing parental rights and in obtaining the rights to collect child support for children born out of wedlock.

A court has to establish paternity before it orders a father to pay child support in Georgia. It determines a child’s paternity if that issue is existed in the case before a court will make any rules regarding father’s obligations. A paternity action is usually initiated by a mother seeking child support.  Legitimating paternity is usually tested through testing of DNA. A paternity action is usually started by a mother seeking child support. A father’s rights are established through a petition for legitimation. Our lawyers file petitions to legitimate on the behalf of biological fathers who are wishing to legitimate their children, acquire the status of a legal parent, and wants custodial and visitation rights.

At the Smith Files Law in Atlanta, Georgia our custody lawyers help clients in preserving and defending legitimation and paternity claims. If you are having a paternity or legitimation dispute, you can have the dispute sorted out with our experienced law attorney.