| Experienced Minnesota Paternity Lawyers In some situations, parentage must be established before an order for custody or child support can be determined. By Minnesota law, the biological mother of a child, who was not married to the child’s father when the child was born or conceived, has sole physical and legal custody of the child until paternity has been established, or custody determined.
If you have legal questions related to paternity, please contact the lawyers at Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, P.A. by phone at 651-379-3024 or by email to schedule a free consultation.
When a child is born to an unmarried mother, there are a couple of options to establish parentage of the child. If both parents agree that the man is the biological father, they can sign a Recognition of Parentage. If the parties have not signed a Recognition of Parentage, either party may ask the court to enter an order finding that the man is the biological and legal father of the child. If either party questions the paternity of the child, the court will order both parties and the child to submit to genetic testing to establish paternity.
Child Custody & Parenting Time Issues
After paternity has been established, a father may ask the court for rights to parenting time and/or custody of his child. At Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, our priority is to advocate aggressively for your child’s best interests. We believe that every child deserves to have both parents involved in his or her life, to the fullest extent possible.
In some cases, it may be necessary to limit or restrict a parent’s involvement in a child’s life, when that parent is likely to endanger or impair the child’s physical or emotional health and development. For example, chemical abuse and dependency often threaten a parent’s ability to establish or maintain an appropriate, healthy parent-child relationship. In these special circumstances, we will work to create a parenting-time solution that keeps your child’s best interests and safety a top priority at all times.
To schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced paternity attorneys, call 651-379-3024 or contact us by email.
Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, P.A.
990 Inwood Avenue North
Oakdale, Minnesota 55128
Telephone: 651-379-3024
Facsimile: 651-379-3028
Toll Free: 877-379-0012
Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, P.A., with offices in Oakdale and Braham, represent clients with their family law, criminal defense, tax law and probate concerns in Ramsey, Hennepin, Washington, Scott, Carver, Dakota, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine and Chisago counties including, but not limited to, the communities of St. Paul, Minneapolis, Eagan, Hastings, White Bear Lake, Woodbury, Maplewood, Inver Grove Heights, Bloomington, Edina and Cambridge. |
