Paternity & Family Law
Factual proof of parentage can be incredibly important for parenting matters, as it can determine legal implications on parties during proceedings, as well as for issues such as child support.
The results of a paternity test may be utilised in Court to support claims of paternity or invalidate claims of paternity. It is important to be aware that absent of a paternity test, the following presumptions in terms of who is a child’s Father apply:
- If they are named on the birth certificate
- If a statutory declaration has been signed outlining parentage
- If there is a Court order declaring that they are the parent of the child
- If the parties were married at the time the child was conceived
- If the parties cohabitated between 44 and 20 weeks before the birth of the child.
If any of the above assumptions apply and there is a paternity dispute, then testing will likely be the only option to prove or disprove any claims otherwise. Even if both parties are in agreement to undertake paternity testing, any tests taken must comply with the standards required by the Court.
The Family Law Act provides the Federal Circuit and Family Court with the jurisdiction to make orders for paternity testing to determine the parentage of a child in several circumstances, such as:
- A dispute as to who is the Father of the child
- To obtain child support from a specific person
- To dispute an application for child support sought against a specific person
For family law proceedings, a paternity test will need to be conducted by a NATA-accredited Legal DNA testing service. Paternity testing is a complex area of family law services and it is vital that you obtain expert advice before any action is taken and in particular, any Court application is made.
If there are doubts about your child’s paternity or any child support issues, please contact our office at 02 4655 4224 to speak to one of our experienced Camden solicitors to assist you in resolving your family law matters.
