A paternity or parentage action is a case seeking to establish or disestablish paternity and provide for a residential schedule and child support to a child born to unmarried parents.

A parentage action may be brought by either parent. A father may wish to establish that he is the legal father of the child for several reasons. For example, he may wish to amend the child’s birth certificate with his name as the father, or he may wish to get residential time under a parenting plan for the child. A mother may wish to establish paternity so a child support order can be entered with the father as the obligor, or she may simply wish the child to have a relationship with his or her father. McKinley Irvin, a Seattle family law firm, has lawyers with extensive experience in parentage actions and can explain all the elements of a parentage suit with you.

For Washington State and Seattle family law firm mandatory forms on Paternity, please see Seattle family law firm forms.

A State agency may also file a paternity action in order to get reimbursed by the father for assistance paid to the child, or if the mother requests the State’s assistance. However, often paternity actions brought by the State only establish a declaration of paternity and an obligation of child support and do not establish visitation time with the father. Discussing your case with a Seattle family law firm such as McKinley Irvin can help clear up your concerns about parentage, support payments, or visitation schedules.

Paternity is normally determined through DNA testing of the parties and the child. The parties can also agree to declare who the parents are, saving the expense and time of testing. A Seattle family law firm can help you draft such agreements and move your case along. Child support payments are set based on the income of both parties under Washington State child support law. Under the law, every child has the right to financial support from both parents, and parents cannot escape this obligation because of unemployment or other factors. The Seattle family law firm of McKinley Irvin has extensive experience in such cases.

Establishing parentage involves many legal issues and effects. A McKinley Irvin Seattle family law firm attorney should be consulted so that you know what you are in for in a paternity action.

For specific statutory language regarding paternity please see information for Seattle family law firms Chapter 26.26 RCW: Uniform parentage act.