Paternity / Parentage
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Illinois Paternity Lawyer
Dedicated to Establishing Parentage
A dispute over the parentage of a child can be extremely stressful. Parental rights and child support may be at stake. In any family law matter, the parentage of minor children is important to establish. In Illinois, a child born to a married couple is presumed to be the child of both spouses. This is true for same-sex couples as well as opposite-sex couples. The situation can become more complicated when a child is born to unmarried parents, or when a presumed father believes a child born to his wife is the product of infidelity.
Whatever your situation, Reifman Law Offices can help you work through your legal concerns regarding the parentage of a child. Whether you are a mother seeking child support from the father of your child, a father seeking parental rights, or a presumed father who suspects that a child is not biologically yours, we will work to resolve your concerns and establish parentage. Attorney Arkady Reifman has almost 20 years of experience in family law and is well-equipped to address your legal parentage issues, no matter the circumstances.
Establishing Parentage in Illinois
A child born to married parents is presumed to be the child of both spouses, regardless of biology. No DNA test is required to show parentage in this situation. When a child is born to an unmarried mother, however, more action is required on the father’s part to establish parentage. There are three ways for an unmarried father in Illinois to establish that a child is his:
Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity
Both parents sign a document asserting that they are the child’s parents. This form is usually completed in the hospital, shortly after the birth. It can also be signed before a witness at a later time. Once this acknowledgment is signed, it can only be revoked within two years for reasons of fraud, duress, or factual mistake about who the father is.
Order of Paternity
A judge can enter an order of paternity establishing who the child’s father is. This may involve a DNA test in cases where paternity is in dispute.
HFS Child Support Services
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services has a Division of Child Support Services that can establish parentage by conducting a hearing.
Once parentage is established in one of these ways, the father will have all the same parental rights and responsibilities as he would if he were married to the mother.
The Importance of Establishing Parentage
Establishing parentage is often most important for parents who are not married. A mother may need to prove who the father of her child is in order to collect child support payments. An unmarried father may need to establish that a child is his in order to fight for custody or be awarded parenting time (visitation) and other parental rights. Or, a man, whether unmarried or married but divorcing, may need to demonstrate that a child is not his to avoid costly child support payments.
Whatever reason you have for needing to establish parentage of a child, Reifman Law Offices can help. We understand that establishing or disputing parentage is often an emotionally charged experience, and are prepared to offer compassionate advocacy for you and your children until a resolution is reached.
Modern Issues Affecting Parentage
Parentage is not as simple as identifying the biological mother and father anymore. Children born to married same-sex parents, as well as children born to married opposite-sex parents through a sperm donor, may be the legal – but not biological – child of both spouses. Children born through surrogacy may be biologically related to one, both, or neither intended parents. As medical technology advances, so must the area of family law.
Contact a Schaumburg Parentage Lawyer
When you need a family law attorney with an understanding of parentage issues, call Reifman Law Offices. We understand that legal parentage concerns are stressful, and we will zealously represent your interests. Contact us online or call 847-229-8433 to schedule a free and confidential consultation. We have locations in Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Palatine, Hoffman Estates, Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows, Barrington, West Dundee, and Streamwood.
At Reifman Law Offices,
we will take the weight of dealing with family legal issues off of your shoulders.
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Cost is a significant factor when considering hiring a lawyer. At Reifman Law Offices, we understand that our clients are real people—people on a budget with limited time.
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What Our Clients say about us
Professional, communication was excellent, and super fast and easy. Highly recommend!
Not all lawyers are created equal. That being said, most lawyers I personally encountered only cared about dragging things out and making themselves richer at the expense of the people that they were representing. Mr. Arkady Reifman shines above the...
Arkady helped me from day 1 he was great from helping ease my peace of mind during all the high conflict negotiations with my EX. My case took FAR to long for what it should have been but not because...
Arkady took over in the middle of my divorce. Found him by chance, but couldn't be happier. He is very reasonable in prices, follows up promptly, but most of all he was understanding for every issue I wanted to bring...
I’m very thankful to Arkady for his assistance with my divorce! He is very knowledgeable and was always prompt with responses. I would recommend him to anyone who needs family attorney help!
Arkady Reifman is an excellent divorce attorney who delivers a high-quality service. He helped me with my case with personal attention to details, responsiveness to questions, and very good communication skills in court and in writing letters. He also speaks...
Great lawyer, to the point and gets things done.
Affordable and very helpful , gets back to you asap and updates you in timely manner , Thank you so much for your help ... If you're looking for a lawyer that has you in mind REIFMAN will not disappoint,...
Great attorney, Always available and responsive and will give the best advice!
Firstly, I want to thank Mr. Arkady Reifman for the amazing and professional services he provided me with. Whenever I had a question, he explained thoroughly and carefully and adjusted to my circumstances when I didn't understand he always did...
Arkady Reifman is an excellent attorney who really goes above and beyond for his client, I'd trust him with anything, do not hesitate to call him.
In a divorce, you need advocates. Advocates that are willing to listen, empathize with your situation and quickly ascertain what rights and entitlements one has. I was fortunate enough to be paired with Arkady Reifman. From our first meeting, I...
Very professional, straightforward and empathetic. I went through one of the most difficult times in my life and was glad to have Arkady by my side throughout the process. I was very impressed by the great level of attention that...
Arkady handled my divorce case several years ago and I would, and have, recommended him to my friends and family. I hired Arkady after another attorney has botched my case. Not only was Arkady professional and knowledgeable, he took the...
Arkady handled my divorce case. He has done a great job understanding my needs and was able to prepare a divorce contract that covered the detailed scenarios for what was needed. As a result, my divorce process was less painful...
Arkady took care of my divorce case. He has done an amazing job understanding my needs and was able to prepare a divorce contract that covered the detailed scenarios of what was needed. As a result, my divorce process was...
I was seeking a simple uncontested divorce and I came to the right place. The consultation was over an hour and was free. Arkady took the time to understand my situation and guided me through the process which others I...
I contacted Arkady for an uncontested divorce. I received a detailed extensive free consultation and was able to figure out the remainder of the details I needed to work out with my spouse in order to finalize the process. With...
I hired Arkady to help get some rights back that I should not have lost during my divorce. Ex-wife (who has full custody of our child) told daycare that my current wife could not pick up my daughter at daycare....
I am thrilled with my results. Arkady was exceptionally professional. He was able to find a resolution for my complex situation where I thought there was no solution. He is a strong professional with a thorough knowledge of the law...
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I interviewed multiple firms before I decided on Arkady Reifman. After interviewing Arkady I had a very comfortable feeling and I knew that I was going with the right professional for my situation. Arkady understood the challenges and concerns I...
Arkady is a great attorney. He listens very well, commits great focus to your case and works for the best possible outcome. It is very refreshing to meet such a hardworking and compassionate advocate. I am impressed at how knowledgeable...
Arkady Reifman was recommended to me by a relative and I'm happy I decided to go with him to represent me in my divorce case. His fees are reasonable, communication was clear and to the point, and he explained the...
We contacted Arkady to help get a divorce settlement for my guy. It had been almost a year and his original divorce attorney did nothing to help. We gave him our retainer and he worked diligently to help us. Only...
Arkady Reifman is a seasoned and professional attorney. I appreciate his help in providing counsel which was effective in the completion of my case.
Mr. Reifman has handled with great discretion and high competence several matters of importance for our family and we highly recommend him.
Arkady Reifman represented me in my divorce case. He was always very supportive through a painful time in my life. I feel secure and confident every time after conversation with him. He also was always very prompt to respond to...
Thank you Mr. Arkady Reifman for representing me in my divorce case. With your guidance and experience of the law. I would recommend you to family or friends or anybody who ask for a family lawyer.
Great attorney, professional, exceeded my expectations, very thankful!!!
Attorney Arkady Reifman was professional on working on my case. Answer all my questions with everything I had. Highly recommend this Attorney
If you are in need of any legal service, talk to this firm first. Our family has used Mr. Reifman's service to resolve a complex child support matter that involved a defendant that tried every legal maneuver to delay his...
Arkady is an excellent attorney. He took my complex divorce case and handled it with compassion and pure professionalism. The result was far better than I had expected. Arkady handled my case effectively and made the process as painless as...
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