Father’s Rights Lawyers in Columbia, MD

Helping You Establish Paternity

If you and the mother of your child are not married at the time of birth, you are not automatically considered to be the legal father of the child. There are a few ways to establish the paternity of your child, all of which are easier with the help of a seasoned father’s rights attorney.

At Ward & Co Law, our lawyers can help guide you through the legal proceedings and advocate for your rights. We firmly believe that a child benefits from having a healthy relationship with both their mother and father, and we are here to help you legally establish paternity so you can maintain a relationship with your child.

How to Determine Paternity

Establishing paternity is the legal process of ensuring a child’s biological father is also recognized as their legal father in the eyes of the law. To uphold Maryland’s best-interests-of-the-child standard, lawmakers have simplified the procedures and processes that usually surround paternity determination for children born out of wedlock.

There are 2 ways to establish paternity in Maryland:

1. Affidavit of Paternity - This is a voluntary process by which the parents of the child sign a legal document acknowledging the parentage of the child. Once signed, the affidavit is legally binding and is difficult to invalidate. In addition, once this document has been signed, the father will gain all legal rights and responsibilities of fatherhood (including child support obligations).
2. Paternity Action - Either party can begin this action by bringing a paternity action to a Maryland family law court. This type of establishment is beneficial if either party refuses to acknowledge paternity of the child. A judge could order a genetic test to prove the male party is the biological father of the child.

Protecting Your Parental Rights

Whether you are the mother of a child seeking to gain financial support from the father, or a father seeking to build a relationship with your child, our Columbia, MD attorneys can help you establish paternity. After establishing paternity, the father gains all the legal rights and responsibilities of parenthood and must honor them.