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Navigating New Jersey Paternity Issues

At Tournour Law, we have been assisting clients in and around East Brunswick with paternity, child support and child custody matters for over 20 years. We regularly handle child support and child custody matters and can help you resolve paternity issues so that you can move forward and build a healthy future.

Establishing Paternity In New Jersey

Establishing the paternity of a child born outside of a traditional marriage is a necessary prerequisite for maintaining parental rights and establishing visitation rights or obtaining obtaining child support in New Jersey. However, paternity issues can be complicated. A paternity allegation can be made or defended by a number of people, including the child’s mother, the custodial parent (if not the mother), a man representing himself as the child’s biological father, the child him- or herself, representatives of any of the above, the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services, or any person with a justifiable interest recognized by the court.

When Is A Man Presumed To Be The Father Of A Child?

According to New Jersey’s Parentage Act, there are several sets of circumstances under which a man is legally presumed to be the father of a child:

  • The man and the child’s biological mother are, or have been, married to each other, and the child is born either within the duration of the marriage or within 300 days (10 months) of the termination of the marriage by divorce, annulment, or death.
  • Prior to the birth of the child, the man and the child’s biological mother attempt to get married to each other.
  • Following the birth of the child, the man and the child’s biological mother have married or attempted to marry each other, and the man has acknowledged his paternity of the child in writing filed with the local registrar of vital statistics, sought to have his name placed on the child’s birth certificate as the child’s father, openly held out the child as his natural child, or is obligated to support the child under a written voluntary agreement or court order.
  • The man receives the child into his home and openly holds him or her out as his natural child while the child is under the age of majority.
  • The man provides support for the child and openly holds him or her out as his natural child while the child is under the age of majority.
  • The man acknowledges his paternity of the child in writing filed with the local registrar of vital statistics, and the mother does not dispute the acknowledgment within a reasonable time after being informed of such by the registrar.

Resolving issues of paternity are  important for a number of reasons. Our family law attorney, Frank Tournour, can help you with your paternity matters as the first step toward protecting your parental rights and the best interests of your child.

Contact A Child Custody Lawyer Today

At Tournour Law, our attorney will work hard to ensure that your child’s best interests are protected and your parental rights remain intact. Reach out today by calling 732-913-3634 or emailing us to schedule your initial consultation.