Paternity Article


Where to Find an Attorney for Specific Legal Advice

Arizona has three legal aid organizations which cover different regions of the state.

  1. Community Legal Services (800) 852-9075 covers Maricopa, Mohave, Yavapai, Yuma and LaPaz Counties.
  2. Southern Arizona Legal Aid (800) 640-9465 covers southern Arizona.
  3. DNA People’s Legal Services (800) 789-7287 covers northern Arizona.

All legal service programs in Arizona differ, and their criteria for accepting cases vary. The legal aid organizations above all have the same criteria of income restrictions and legal status requirements, but do have varying priorities.

To find out about more Arizona resources that may be able to assist you, you can contact LegalLEARN, Legal Information & Resources at (866) 637-5341.

Individuals may apply for free and reduced fee legal services by using the "Access To Justice Online Intake System" through AZLawHelp. 

If the legal services program in your area cannot assist you, you may be able to find a lawyer through lawyer referral services in Maricopa County (602) 257-4434 or Pima County (520) 623-4625.

The State Bar also maintains a listing of all Arizona attorneys on their website, and certifies “specialists” in eight legal areas. (Not all attorneys seek such certification, however.) Lists of specialists can also be found at the State Bar of Arizona’s website.


Comments:

QUESTIONS

  • My son has an 18 year old daughter but is not listed on the birth certificate. He volunteered to pay child support and longer does as his daughter is over 18. His daughter now wants to have his name on the birth certificate to claim her Native American heritage. Both are in agreement. What is the court process as I was told there isn't a form and to contact legal services. Thank you.
  • I just had a baby and an ex-boyfriend who is not the father of my baby is taking me for paternity test. Do I have to pay court fees every time someone wants to claim to be the father of my child. I was not even with him at the time and the father of my baby is on birth certificate and the baby has the fathers last name. Question is why do I have to pay court fees to respond, it's like anyone can petion to be the father and I have to pay court fees when I alresdy know who father is
  • My 5 month old father just came into her life now and is threading me with taking custody, his not on the birth certificate, and asked me to abort. Does he have any rights?
  • My son was born while I was married to the man on the birth certificate. He is not the biological father & was aware when we divorced but chose to be his father child support & visitation etc. He owes past due support & so now wants to rebut paternity. Can he do this in AZ if he has already accepted the role knowing he is not the paternal father?
  • Can i file for a petition for paternity if the child isn’t born yet? If not when is the soonest i can?
  • What form do I use to get a court ordered paternity test? My ex is saying he is the father of my daughter and he is not. I have to disprove paternity before they will stop visitation, he will hurt her.
  • My sons father got summonsed to court for a paternity test for another girls child he did not receive any papers in the mail. He got served with papers yesterday and it said he is going to automatically have to pay her child support because he did not show up for the test how do we go about redoing this he is not on birth certificate and does not think the child is his . he would of showedup but was not informed untill the day of the test in court.what do we do .
  • I have signed the birth certificate and acknowledgement of paternity. Now i did a at home DNA test and find out the kids is not mine and i am paying child support. the kid is 2 years old how can i remove my name from the birth certificate? The mom is not collaborating.
  • I am unmarried and 15 weeks pregnant. My ex fiancĂ© is denying paternity most because he does not want the military to know he is having a child because it will cancel his assignment he signed up for that requires no dependents. I would like to legally establish paternity so that when the baby comes I will be able to apply for child support since he will most likely be deployed. I have heard mixed answers on whether or not prenatal paternity tests are legally admissible to establish paternity in Arizona. The tests are very expensive, and before I pay I would like to know if I can use it
  • I am a resident of Maricopa County in the state of Arizona. I am the legal father of a child by default and not the biological father. There was never a blood test performed by the court to establish paternity. This is an out-of-wedlock child who is now 12 years old and I was never married to the child's mother. I have been paying child support for this child for 12 years. I want to file a motion to disprove paternity and request that the judge order a DNA test since the mother will not cooperate with genetic testing. Since the paternity judgment, I have received information that at the time of conception the mother had engaged in a sexual relationship with another man who was actually her fiance. Do I have the right to reopen and challenge the paternity declaration against me if a post declaration genetic test shows that I am not the biological father?

STORIES

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FIND LEGAL HELP

  • Please select your county of residence below.

    County:
     

OTHER LEGAL RESOURCES

  • State Bar of Arizona
    www.azbar.org
  • Maricopa County Bar
    www.maricopabar.org
    Referral number 602-257-4434
  • Pima County Bar
    www.pimacountybar.org
    Referral number 520-623-4625
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline
    800-799-7233
  • Bankruptcy Court Self Help Center
    866-553-0893
  • Certified Legal Document Preparer Program
    Link

ORGANIZATIONS

RELATED ARTICLES

LINKS

Maricopa County Judicial Branch

Maricopa County Judicial Branch Self-Service Center Online

DES Division of Child Support Enforcement

Arizona 2-1-1

Pima County Courts Self Service Center

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