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Paternity Issues

Whether you are trying to establish paternity or deny paternity, you need legal assistance to effectively protect you. The issue of paternity often rears its head in conjunction with issues of child support. Because the financial well-being of a child is at stake, the courts take great care to determine paternity issues fairly and accurately. At Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, P.A., we are dedicated to helping your family by resolving your paternity issues in a satisfactory fashion.

To help establish a clear understanding of paternity cases, it is important to understand the meaning of paternity. Paternity is defined as the state of being a father. However, “being a father” has many nuances, and means different things to different people. In the absolute simplest terms, there are two ways to be a father:

  • Biologically — Being the biological father of a child is one way to establish paternity.
  • Legally — Adopting a child is another way to establish paternity and become a father.          

These are very different ways a man can become a father. Sometimes, questions arise that involve overlap of these instances. For example, the biological father of a child may be kept from the child by the mother. When the parties are not married and this arises, a suit to establish paternity not only determines the biological instance of being a father, but also the legal instance of paternity. When the parties are married, the husband of the mother is presumed to be the legal father of the child. Still yet, there are those instances where the issue of paternity arises due to either the biological or legal father’s dispute over child support payments. In that instance, determination of fatherhood also determines responsibility for payment of child support.

Schedule an appointment with a knowledgeable Minnesota family law attorney for aid with issues involving determination of paternity. We are focused on your family and its needs and know that establishing paternity helps resolve several issues, including legal rights to a child as well as the obligation to pay child support.

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  • "Tori had a thorough understanding of my situation and made excellent recommendations to resolve my concerns. She was persistent on communication and handled everything in a very timely manner. I would definitely hire her again in the future if needed." - M.K.

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  • "Mary from APH Law helped me thru a difficult divorce. She and the entire staff was there for me every step of the way helping me on what to do next. They listened to what I wanted and helped me achieve what matter the most to me in the divorce settlement." - Dana C.

  • "I chose APH after my initial consultation with Mary. I felt my best interest would be represented. The entire process went excellent, the attorneys and staff communicated effectively and efficiently with me throughout the process as they needed to. Being new to the legal process and verbiage, they walked me and talked me through the next steps and the jargon, I felt completely comfortable and represented. I hope I never have to use legal services again but if I do I will call Mary at APH Law and know that I will be taken care of." - Jeff M.

  • "Divorce is a time of emotion and stress. Mary Pfeifer , My lawyer was professional and compassionate. She was very informative through the process. Her insight helped me in my decisions. She worked hard to obtain a settlement which was fair to both parties. Though, I hope I won't need her help again. It is reassuring to know a good person that is willing to help." - Rod S.

  • "I first came to Ms. Jacquelyn Lutz of Appelhof, Pfeifer and Hart in October of 2016. It was definitely the worst time in my life and she compassionately spoke with me about my options. Ms. Lutz thoroughly explained the laws, statutes, process and what to expect going forward. What was supposed to be one case, turned into three intricate cases that took a huge toll on me and my family. Ms. Lutz represented me in court on all three cases with a vast knowledge of the laws and how to proceed accordingly. During all three cases she kept me informed, calm, gave me resources to utilize, and (most important) gave me a realistic view of what may come next. Ms. Lutz knew each case required a great deal of knowledge and creative thinking on how to legally proceed forward with each case. My family and friends are forever grateful for the amazing representation by Ms. Lutz. I highly recommend Ms. Lutz for anyone needing or considering superb representation for any kind of family law. " - M.H.

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