Legal parentage is the foundation for securing your child’s rights and ensuring your role as a parent is legally recognized. Whether you are a mother seeking child support or a same-sex couple concerned about securing parental rights, it is crucial to clarify legal parentage as early as possible. A skilled Bristol County paternity lawyer can help you navigate the most complex parentage situations with confidence.
When establishing legal paternity becomes a challenge, our legal team at Farias Family Law, P.C. is here to help you pursue the most effective path to secure your parental rights or protect your child’s rights in Bristol County, MA. We understand the emotional and legal complexities that can arise in paternity, divorce, and child custody disputes. Let us support you throughout this important journey.
When a parent is assigned legal paternity over a child, it allows both parties to benefit from numerous protections and advantages under Massachusetts paternity laws.
To ensure that the rights of parents and children are protected, legal paternity should be established through the appropriate legal channels.
In most cases, married couples are automatically recognized as a child’s legal parents at birth and are listed as such on the child’s birth certificate. This is most commonly the case for opposite-sex couples. However, there are cases when parents need to take additional steps to establish paternity in Bristol County. This can happen when a child is born outside of marriage or through alternative reproductive methods, for instance
Thanks to the Massachusetts Parentage Act, which took effect in January 2025, parents who use alternative reproductive methods, including surrogacy, in vitro fertilization, and other forms of assisted reproduction, can now more easily establish legal parentage. This was a significant legal win since, in 2022, 76% of couples going through infertility treatments in the state gave birth with the help of assisted reproductive technology.
When there is a mutual agreement between the birth parent and the individual seeking paternity — such as the biological father or a same-sex partner — both parties can sign a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Parentage Form at a hospital like the Sturdy Memorial Hospital, the Bristol County Clerk’s Office, or the Mass Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS).
In certain situations, including cases involving unmarried couples, same-sex partners, or family members acting as de facto parents, it may be necessary to petition the Bristol County courts to establish paternity
For those who are part of the nearly 40% of single-parent households in Bristol County, or who represent the nearly 17% of same-sex couples raising children in the county, it is in your interest to have your legal paternity recognized as soon as possible.
Establishing legal parentage is one of the most important steps a parent can take. While this process is straightforward in many cases, there are situations where the guidance of a Bristol County paternity lawyer may be essential to protecting your rights and safeguarding your child’s future.
Legal counsel may be especially beneficial for individuals who are:
If you have taken steps to establish paternity in the past and have failed, whether it was your paternity or that of your child’s biological father, it is important to consult an attorney as soon as possible. Recent changes in the law may allow you to gain parental rights that were previously denied to you.
A: The cost of suing for paternity in Massachusetts may include the filing fee set by the specific county court, additional court costs associated with processing your petition, and the expense of any required genetic testing. If you choose to work with a paternity lawyer, you may incur additional fees for representation.
A: You are not required to have a lawyer to file for paternity in Massachusetts, but working with a skilled attorney from your area is highly advised. A Bristol County paternity lawyer can help streamline the process, especially if the other parent cannot be located or is contesting your petition to establish paternity.
A: While you generally cannot sue a woman for lying about paternity in Massachusetts, you may be able to challenge legal paternity by filing a Complaint to Establish Parentage in the Bristol County Probate and Family Court. Being a non-biological parent does not automatically eliminate a person’s legal obligations towards a child, especially if a presumed parent-child relationship exists.
A: Yes, a same-sex parent can establish legal parentage in Massachusetts through various pathways. A biological parent and their partner can sign a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage following the birth of a child. The Massachusetts Parentage Act also enables the parents of children born through assisted reproduction or surrogacy to secure legal parentage with greater ease.
The way we define a family is constantly evolving. The law, however, does not always keep pace. You deserve the support of a compassionate attorney who can listen to your concerns and fight for your interests. Farias Family Law, P.C., is there for you every step of the way. We are conveniently located in Fall River and Easton, MA. Contact us today for an assessment of your paternity case.
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