Many couples in Oklahoma look forward to the days when they will have children. They plan together and prepare for lives with their growing families. Their expectations of parenthood follow what many consider traditional lines of building families.

This traditional manner of having kids as a couple is not, however, the only way that people find themselves expecting kids. Relationships of varying durations may result in pregnancies and in some cases men may not be sure if they are soon-to-be fathers. In these uncertain situations the state of Oklahoma has established several ways that child paternity can be determined.

The Department of Child Support Services defines paternity as legal fatherhood. Legal fatherhood can be proven through marriage. If a couple is married, the husband is presumed to be the child’s father.

When couples are not married, paternity can be established through genetic testing. These tests can use DNA testing to analyze if the child and a man share genetic information. Both a child’s mother and the suspected father must consent to this form of paternity establishment.

If an unmarried couple is certain that a man is a child’s father, the couple can agree to paternity without testing. Conversely, if a married man believes that he is not a child’s biological father he can legally deny paternity. In these situations the state provides forms for the involved parties’ signatures Home Page.

Paternity is an important step for a man to gain parental rights over his children. Parental rights give a man the opportunity to pursue visitation with and custody of his offspring. Though this post provides a general overview of methods of establishing paternity, individuals with specific questions about this area of the law may choose to use professional legal services to explore their claims.