Salt Lake City Paternity Attorney

SECURING PATERNITY RIGHTS IN SALT LAKE CITY

Utah has a national reputation for being a place with very limited paternity rights. Until recently, a wife could even put a child up for adoption without giving notice to the husband. While the state legislature is just now becoming aware of this inequity, I have been fighting for fathers’ rights my entire career.

My name is Melvin A. Cook and I am a Salt Lake City paternity attorney. I can help establish paternity of your child and ensure that you have a voice when it comes to important decisions. I can also help you establish regular visitation to develop a relationship with your child, even if you have been apart for a long period of time. In short, I can help you obtain the tools you need to be a dad.

HOW IS PATERNITY ESTABLISHED?

“Paternity” simply means a legal or biological declaration that you are the father of a certain child. Paternity is most often an issue for a child born out of wedlock. There are several ways to establish paternity in Utah:

• A Voluntary Declaration of Paternity (VDP) — This form must be signed by both the mother and father and be witnessed by two nonrelatives. The VDP becomes official when it is filed with Utah’s Department of Health, Vital Records and Statistics. If the father is under 18 years of age, his parent or guardian must also sign. Prior to signing the VDP, you must call an 800 number and receive a set of oral warnings and instructions; you have up to 60 days to rescind the VDP if you change your mind.
• A paternity lawsuit — The mother, child or father, or the state, can file a paternity action. The procedure can be either judicial or administrative and generally involves genetic testing. Genetic testing is a good way to establish paternity, and it is inexpensive and 99.96 percent reliable. The test must be certified by the American Association of Blood Banks to be admissible in court.

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BIOLOGICAL AND JUDICIAL PATERNITY?

Biological paternity is nearly always established via genetic testing and can be done at an administrative agency or in the courts. Only a judge can issue a decree of judicial paternity, which may or may not involve genetic testing.

CONTACT A SALT LAKE CITY PATERNITY ATTORNEY WHO HELPS CREATE FAMILY STRUCTURE

The determination of paternity is one of the most important issues in family law. It affects child support and provides much need closure for the family and most importantly the child. Paternity gives fathers the opportunity to take responsibility for their children, forge a relationship with them and be involved in important decisions. As an experienced Salt Lake City paternity attorney,  I can help you establish legal paternity and thus protect your rights as a father. Contact me, Melvin A. Cook,  today at 801-746-5075 or online to set up your free consultation with a Salt Lake City Paternity Lawyer. Hablo Español.