What is paternity?
Establishing paternity means legally determining the father of a child. Once paternity has been established the father’s name can be placed on the child’s birth record and he has legal responsibility for the child.
Why is establishing paternity so important?
It is required to have the father’s name placed on the child’s birth record.
It is required in custody matters.
It is required for the father to be legally responsible for child support.
It is necessary for fathers requesting visitation rights.
May provide legal benefits of the child, such as a share of Social Security,
disability or veteran’s benefits if the father dies or becomes disabled; rights to
any inheritance from the father; and rights to medical or insurance benefits.
Establishing paternity.
Parents can acknowledge paternity voluntarily by each signing under oath an Acknowledge of Paternity form. Parents can sign this form at the hospital before the mother and child are discharged from the hospital. This procedure is free of charged and is offered by the hospital but requiring the father to show a photo ID to the birth registrar as required by law.
If paternity is not established before the mother and child are discharged from the hospital the forms are available by visiting or calling the Office of Vital Records in Richmond. The most convenient place to sign the form is at the hospital before the mother and child are discharged. This service is offered free of charge by the hospital and only requires that the father present a photo ID to the birth registrar before he signs the form.
In addition, paternity can be established through use of genetic testing to prove the identity of the father. Paternity testing involves the swabbing of the inside of the mouth in the cheek area that only takes a few minutes and the test results are normally available in a few weeks.
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