In New Mexico, a child born of a marriage is presumed to be the product of the two married people. However, what about when a marriage does not exist? Then there is a question of parentage. Parentage can be established a number of ways. Generally, parentage involves a father and whether he is the biological father of the child. While it is legally possible to question parentage of a mother, such an issue is not common for obvious reasons. One way to establish parentage is for the father to voluntarily hold himself out as the father. Another way is the father signing on the birth certificate at the time of birth. Another way is registering for the putative father registry with the state. Finally, a father can be determined by a court order and the initiation of legal proceedings for parentage. The impact of parentage carries great consequences and rights, such as custody, visitation, child support and retroactive support issues. Be sure to consult with a parentage expert, like the attorneys at Justice Legal Group, if parentage is at issue in your life. The consequences have lasting impact that could take years to resolve if you do not handle the issue properly.
To learn how we can help you with your case, e-mail us at info@JusticeLegalGroup.com or call us at 505-880-8737.