Three Things A Family Attorney Can Do For An Unmarried, New Mother

If you are a single mother of a newborn child or you are pregnant, it is important that you consult with a family law attorney regarding many of the issues concerning your child. The following are just a few of the important things that an attorney can help you do

A family attorney can help you establish paternity

The first step you need to take is to legally establish who the biological father of your child is. This is a process in which an attorney can file a paternity suit against the father of your child. He will then be served notice to appear in court. A judge will order paternity tests to be done. These genetic tests will be done through the courts, and when the test shows that the man you say is the father actually is the father, then the judge will legally rule him to be such. This is important because it opens up many legal options for helping your child. If you haven't had your child yet, genetic samples can be taken shortly after childbirth.

A family attorney can help get you child support

Every child has a right to be supported by his or her father. Once paternity has been established, the next step is to get child support. This will be a monthly amount of money that is paid to you for the purpose of helping to pay for food, clothing, and shelter. The amount of money you are entitled to is related directly to the income level of the father. It is important to establish a monthly payment from the beginning. You want the father to begin the habit of making child support payments, and if possible, becoming a part of your child's life.

A family attorney can help enforce a child support order

Once you have an order of child support from a judge, an attorney can then work to enforce this order, if you have any problems receiving payment. If the father falls behind on his payments, he will still owe this money. And if he finds himself in financial difficulties that lead to a bankruptcy, child support payments are excluded. He will still owe this money. One option is to take him to court and have a judge garnish his wages. This means his employer will take out money from his paycheck. In this way, you are guaranteed to get child support.

Do not hesitate to call a family attorney when you are a single mother. They can assist you in establishing paternity, determining the amount of child support you are entitled to, and in the event you are having trouble collecting the money, enforcing a child support order. The sooner you contact an attorney, the better off you and your child will be.

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