Paternity is the means to legally establish the identity of a child’s father. This is important because it will allow the father’s name to be listed on the child’s birth certificate, give the father the right to seek child custody and visitation, give the child the right to child support from his or her father, and many other benefits. Our skilled lawyers can explain the legal implications of establishing paternity and can guide you through the paternity process.
If a mother is married at the time of the child’s birth, her husband is presumed under Maryland law to be the father of the child. However, this is a rebuttable presumption and can be contested.