How Does the Father of a Child Establish Paternity?
Created: Thursday, 20 October 2011 00:36
Paternity issues can create stress and hard feelings if not dealt with promptly and definitively - not just for the parents concerned, but also for the child. Sometimes that means lawyers and the Family Court must be involved.
Andrew met Sally at a pub in town last August. Sally is from England and was working as a waitress part time. Andrew and Sally began a casual relationship which lasted only a few months. Soon after the relationship ended Sally discovered she was pregnant. She informed Andrew and throughout the pregnancy they kept in touch. They even attempted a reconciliation, but it was short lived. When their baby Annabelle was born, Sally allowed Andrew to visit and spend time with her on a few occasions. Over that time, he grew exceedingly fond of Annabelle but a month or so later all contact ceased and Sally would not take Andrew's calls. Andrew suspected that Sally did not want him in Annabelle's life and that she probably wished to return to England with Annabelle in the future, without having to seek consent from him. Andrew obtained a copy of Annabelle's birth certificate, only to find he was not recorded as the father. Unsure of what to do to protect his legal position with respect to his daughter, Andrew sought our advice.
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