PATERNITY
IN WASHINGTON
When a child's
parents' are not married, an action to
establish paternity can be initiated by a
Court proceeding under the Uniform
Parentage Act. An action to
establish paternity may be initiated by
the State of Washington, through the
prosecuting attorney, or by a private
party. The Court will also make
residential and financial support
arrangements for the children in the same
manner as in a dissolution.
If you have
been served with a Petition to Establish
Paternity, your written response is
generally due within 20 days.
Paternity may be disproved by DNA testing
or the probability of paternity may be
established by DNA tests. If
paternity is an issue, both parties may
agree to submit to the DNA tests.
If the parties cannot agree to a DNA
test, a Court order may be obtained to
force the other party to submit to the
test. DNA tests cannot absolutely
prove paternity but they can provide for
the probability and they can eliminate
candidates.
If a current
Paternity Affidavit is filed, it can have
the same effect as a court order
establishing paternity after 60 days. In
that case, an action can be filed just to
establish a Parenting Plan and/or child
support.
Our firm consist of three
lawyers, Peter W. Mogren, Ronald E.
Glessner, and Ruth A. Roti. Our
emphasis is in family law, wills and
probate, and personal injury.
Please click on the topics above for
details about these areas of practice,
including divorce, legal separation,
property division, child support, spousal
maintenance, parenting plans,
modifications, paternity, adoption,
wills, Community Property Agreements,
Durable Power of Attorney, and probate.
Our firm is conveniently located
in Renton, King County, Washington, just
off the freeway at the intersection of
I-405 and I-167. Our attorneys
represent clients throughout the State of
Washington, including the communities of
Renton, Kent, Tukwila, Seattle, Bellevue,
Auburn, Maple Valley, Federal Way, Des
Moines, Burien, SeaTac, Enumclaw and most
of south King County.
The free
information contained in these pages
is not
intended to be legal advice, and does
not create an attorney-client
relationship. You should always
consult with an attorney before
taking any action. Feel free to call
us at 425-255-4542.
