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Paternity and Parentage

KANE COUNTY PATERNITY ATTORNEYS

Lawyers Representing Clients In Parentage Cases in Barrington, Algonquin, and Elgin

Parentage, also known as paternity, is a process by which a biological father of a child who is not married to the mother establishes a parent-child relationship. This process is important for the parents and the child. Establishing paternity provides the parties with a legal basis for resolving issues of child support and allocation of parental responsibilities.

At the Law Office of Vogel & Mourelatos, LLC, we have over 30 years of combined family law experience, and we have helped numerous clients establish parentage in Kane County and the surrounding areas. Our lawyers have extensive knowledge of this area of the law, and we are well-established and trusted in the community. We work closely with our clients to provide the skilled and personalized representation they need and deserve.

How Is Paternity or Parentage Established in Illinois?

If a couple is married at the time a child is born, the husband is presumed to be the father of the child and obtains all the legal rights and responsibilities a father has. If a child is born out of wedlock, however, a father-child relationship must be legally established. This can be done voluntarily through a properly completed Illinois Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity form.

If there is a dispute about who the father of the child is, parentage can be established in one of two ways:

 

  • Obtaining an Administrative Paternity Order from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (DHFS).
  • Petitioning the court to establish (or disprove) parentage.

DHFS orders are used to establish parentage only for the purposes of securing child support. Disputes over other issues, such as allocation of parental responsibility and parenting time/visitation, are addressed through court action. During this process, the alleged father may be required to undergo DNA testing to help resolve the issue.

Speak With a Compassionate Algonquin Paternity Attorney

Whether you are the mother of a child seeking to establish paternity or the alleged father seeking to establish or deny parentage, the Law Office of Vogel & Mourelatos, LLC, can help you successfully navigate this complicated and often confusing process. We understand the emotionally-charged issues involved with paternity/parentage, and we handle these types of cases with compassion, skill, and proficiency.

For an initial consultation with one of our family law attorneys, contact our office today at 847-428-7725We serve clients in Kane County, McHenry County, DuPage County, Cook County/Rolling Meadows, Algonquin, Barrington, Barrington Hills, Batavia, Bull Valley, Burlington, Campton Hills, Carpentersville, Cary, Crystal Lake, Dundee, East Dundee, Elgin, Geneva, Lake in the Hills, Pingree Grove, St. Charles, South Elgin, West Chicago, West Dundee, Woodstock, and the surrounding Illinois communities.