Did you sign the birth certificate and yet you still don’t get to be as involved as you want to?
At McMurdie Law, we greatly enjoy helping Fathers get involved with their Children and establish their parental rights. We have worked with young Fathers who want to help with their new babies or simply to protect the rights they have established by raising their Children over time without the protection of being married to the Mother of their Children. We enjoy assisting young families to learn how to co-parent and share the responsibility of raising children in the best way they can for the sake of the children.
Paternity is the legal or biological relationship between a child and his or her biological parents as recognized by the court. Many people believe that if they simply signed the birth certificate that they have established paternity, but this is not true. A court has to go further than that, and issue an order of paternity. A child’s paternity may be relevant in relation to issues of legitimacy, inheritance and rights to a putative father’s title or surname, as well as the biological father’s rights to custody that include time with your children and obligations for child support.
In Arizona, when a child is born to a married couple, it is presumed that the father is the biological and legal father of the child, unless you prove otherwise. At McMurdie Law & Mediation, we have handled cases where fathers have paid child support for children they thought were their biological children, to learn after DNA testing that the child was from a different father. In consideration of wrongful paternity, these presumptions may be rebutted by evidence in a disputed child custody and child support cases. This can occur during a divorce, annulment, or legal separation or when establishing paternity through DNA testing.
Due to the social evolution that has raised the rights and expectations of the involvement of fathers with their children, parents have more frequently begun to examine fathers’ rights in child-rearing and family planning. Fathers’ rights can include a father’s right to parenting time with his children, major decisions including schooling, medical care and religious education, and the right to be consulted before adoption, and the right to time off from work to raise his child. At McMurdie Law & Mediation, we like to see both parents involved in raising children and we support fathers to be more involved in child rearing if that is best for the children. Contact us for information on how McMurdie Law & Mediation may assist you in your paternity case.
December 2022 – Parental Rights
I had the esteemed pleasure of being referred to the capable hands of Cristi McMurdie by an attorney whom I hold in high regard. With her exceptional skills and unwavering dedication, Cristi ensured that my father’s rights were fully restored, leaving me with nothing but gratitude for her remarkableRead more “December 2022 – Parental Rights”
April 2015 – Ed N.
Cristi is FANTASTIC! I met with Cristi about my existing divorce settlement to see what some of my options were for a not too well defined situation. Since my issue was time sensitive, she made herself available to consult with me in a very short timeframe. She reviewed my circumstances and gave me some sound legal advise. She even volunteered to proof an email for me and lend some advice at no additional charge. She responded to my email the same day, and even followed up a few days later to see how things went. Very responsive andRead more “April 2015 – Ed N.”
February 2014 – Frank S
Have known Cristi and her office for years! Great service she provides to the public and her clients. She goes out if her way to ensure clients are happy. If you need legal work in the area of family law and want to get great service at a very fair price then hire Cristi. You won’t beRead more “February 2014 – Frank S”
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(480) 777-5500
64 E. Broadway Rd. Ste.200 Tempe, AZ 85282
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