Handling Paternity Matters in St. Louis Area Courts
More and more, American children are born outside of the marital relationship. As this happens, many mothers and fathers with no marital bond between them, must find a way to deal with the parental bond between themselves and their child.
At the Kallen Law Firm, LLC, I help parents define these bonds by handling paternity matters in St. Louis area courts. I am exceptionally thorough and concerned for my clients, working hard to help them achieve their objectives.
What Paternity Does and What It Doesn't Do
Paternity is not like a divorce proceeding. While some of the related issues, like parental rights to child support, child custody and visitation, are the same, paternity differs for several reasons.
One of the biggest differences is that fathers cannot get child custody with regard to the child until the case is finally adjudicated. Unlike a divorce, there is no presumption that the father is the father. He may not have temporary visitation until the court makes its ruling. This means that many fathers are stuck on the sidelines while the case drags on — often for as long as a year. As your attorney, I work hard to expedite the case as quickly as the courts allow.
This waiting period affects mothers too. Mothers are often concerned with health insurance, medical expenses and child support they need for their children. These too cannot be recovered until the end of the case. Although child support can be applied retroactively, there are no temporary allowances like there are in a divorce.
Contact a Lawyer About Your Paternity Concerns
The best way to learn about how Missouri paternity laws apply in your particular situation is to talk with an attorney. To schedule a free initial consultation with me, contact my Saint Louis law office by calling 314.802.4948 or by completing my online contact form.
