Honolulu Paternity Lawyer

Custody for Unmarried Parents in Hawaii

Hawaii sees an unmarried father and mother as having equal custody rights over a child. However, paternity must be established for the father to have a legal right to child custody.

Establishing paternity can sometimes be a difficult process, especially if the parents have different opinions about who the child’s father is.

Our Honolulu family law attorney is experienced with handling sensitive cases such as this and is dedicated to providing quality legal counsel to every client.

If you are looking to establish paternity because you need to secure custody of your child, or child support from the probable father, our family lawyers may be able to help. We’ve been dealing with family law matters since 2005, and regularly take on cases involving custody and support.

Get access to quality legal representation and counsel with our Hawaii paternity disputes lawyer. Call (808) 201-3898 today to schedule a consultation.

Our Hawaii Paternity Attorney Services

Paternity is the legal establishment of a child’s father. During divorce proceedings, establishing paternity may be of utmost importance to couples who have children, especially if they wish to sort out child custody and child support agreements.

Contrary to popular belief, adding a man’s name to your newborn’s birth certificate does not establish legal paternity. Aside from a DNA test, there are many ways that you can establish paternity, both voluntarily and involuntarily.

At Sturdivant & Associates, LLC, we work with clients to help them understand ways in which paternity may have already been established, including:

• The child was born while the couple was married
• The child was born while the couple was unmarried, but they married soon after the birth
• The couple remains unmarried but signed an agreement acknowledging paternity
• The father marries the mother after the child is born and agrees to have his name added to the birth certificate as the father
• The courts grant the father custody rights because the father and child have developed a close relationship

If you cannot establish paternity through the ways listed above, you may have to seek involuntary paternity by filing a paternity lawsuit. The lawsuit will require the probable father to take a DNA test to establish paternity, which will be necessary if you are seeking child support. If you find yourself in this difficult situation, our Honolulu lawyer may be able to help.

Learn more about your rights as a father and Hawaii custody laws. Call us today at (808) 201-3898 for help with all paternity matters!