Connecticut Paternity Fraud Attorney
We urge men to undergo paternity testing when a child is born to a current or former partner. At The Law Office of Victor J. Cavallo , we have seen a number of unfortunate cases in which men have been saddled with 18 years (or more) of support obligations for children who were not theirs. Don’t let this happen to you. If you have been served with notification of a paternity suit, contact an attorney who understands the long-term consequences of ignoring these suits or signing paternity acknowledgements. Call our Stamford, Connecticut law firm today to learn about paternity and DNA testing.
Phantom Fatherhood
Paternity Fraud is real, common and sometimes state-assisted. Social Services agencies force clients to name the father of a state-supported child so that the state can seek reimbursement for paid benefits. Sometimes any father will do. Notices of Paternity actions are served on “putative” fathers at their last known address, which could be an address last known only to the agency’s client and not ever known by the father.
Even if it was once the father’s legitimate address, if no record of postal forwarding exists, the state will presume that imaginary address to be proper for purposes of legal notice and service of process. Years and years later, “phantom fathers” often find themselves facing incarceration for not supporting children they never knew they had.
Challenging paternity years after final judgment is often pre-empted by statutes of limitations or the futile search for evidence that the “phantom father” was residing at an address other than the state’s “last known address.”
The Willing Father’s Paternity Rights
Many of our clients have fathered a child, but are being excluded from proving parentage or participating in the child’s life. Unmarried fathers in these circumstances need to get a paternity test. If the test verifies that they are the father, they have decisions to make about their role in the child’s life and how to pursue it. If they decide that they want to be part of the child’s life, our attorney can begin the process of helping them claim parental rights and petitioning for parenting time. Our father’s rights attorney helps men work through all the issues raised by an out-of-wedlock child.
Paternity Fraud in Marriages
Yes, it does occur more often than imagined. While most paternity questions arise over out-of-wedlock births, we’ve also assisted men who have questioned the paternity of a child born during a marriage. While this situation is uncomfortable, our clients have felt that knowing a child is not theirs is better than wondering about that child’s heritage for the rest of their lives.
The Bottom Line on Paternity: DNA Testing
DNA testing results are virtually conclusive of paternity issues. If you know the child is yours, you will not be faced with court actions years down the road claiming back child support. If you know a child is not yours, you can decide what to do. When it comes to paternity, knowledge is power. Knowing who your genetic children are prevents paternity fraud, malicious claims for child support and petty denials of father’s rights.
Contact a Connecticut Paternity Lawyer
We have helped many men through the processes of getting paternity tests, acknowledging paternity, fighting fraudulent paternity claims and claiming parental rights. For information on how we can help you, contact our Stamford, Connecticut paternity test attorney for a free initial telephone consultation.
A Connecticut family law firm focusing on men’s and fathers’ rights. Serving Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, Greenwich, Westport, New Canaan, Ridgefield, Danbury, Newtown, Wilton, Darien, Fairfield, Stratford and throughout Fairfield County. Call today to learn more!
Evening and weekend appointments available • Credit cards accepted
The Law Office of Victor J. Cavallo, LLC
184 Atlantic Street
Stamford, CT 06901
(203) 602-0260