When you and your child’s father are no longer in a relationship, and he does not voluntarily become involved in your child’s life, you may be faced with a difficult decision about whether to start a paternity case. There are some clear benefits to legally establishing who your child’s father is, like being able to pursue child support. However, there may be some risks as well. Once you have established paternity, he has the right to file a child custody case and try to get parenting time. Establishing paternity also creates a legal tie between you, which may not be something you want if the relationship ended badly and you do not feel that he would be a good parent. It is important to talk through the situation with a DuPage County, IL paternity lawyer when you are considering filing a paternity case.
