There are many benefits to establishing paternity. It can help a father provide basic social, emotional and economic ties between the child and him. The child also gains certain legal rights, such as the right to inheritance, benefits from the father’s medical and/or life insurance benefits, veteran’s benefits if applicable and social security benefits.
However, the most important benefit is the chance to develop a relationship with the father. Every child deserves to know who his or her dad is and to grow up developing a healthy sense of identity.
Establishing paternity in North Dakota is relatively simple. Genetic testing is the most accurate way. It can exclude a man who is not the father and can definitively indicate when a man is the father. These tests are highly accurate and the courts accept the results as a determination of paternity.
Not all mothers and not all men believe automatically that the suspected man is the father. For example, perhaps the mother and father are not in a relationship when the baby is born. The man does not believe he is the father and neither does the mother. Genetic testing can provide a fast answer.
If a man is proven to be the father, then the courts can award child support per their guidelines, as well as visitation.
If you want to establish that you are the father of a child or if you want to establish that a man is the father of your child, an attorney can provide you with your legal options. He or she can help you learn how to proceed with your case.
Source: nd.gov, “Paternity Establishment,” accessed Sep. 02, 2016
