PATERNITY & PARENTAGE
P: 425.252.5020
Protect your child and take control over your parental rights.
At O’Loane Law Firm, we help mothers and fathers take control of the situation and legally establish their rights as parents.
At O’Loane Law Firm, we help mothers and fathers take control of the situation and legally establish their rights as parents.
It is important to establish your child’s parentage and/or paternity in order to define and protect the your legal, emotional, and financial ties to your child.
Establishing your parent-child relationship can also help to minimize legal and personal disputes between parents regarding parenting plans and financial support. At O’Loane Law Firm, we have extensive experience helping fathers and mothers to take back control over their lives and that of their children through paternity and parentage cases.
When a child is born and if the parents are not married, paternity must be established to legally recognize the child’s father in the state of Washington.
This can be accomplished voluntarily by signing a notarized Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity, or by a court order. If a court order is deemed necessary, a Petition to Establish Parentage will be filed. If paternity is disputed, a genetic or DNA test may be ordered to confirm the child’s father. Once paternity is established, the father will be granted rights to the child and be required to provide child support as required.
Regardless of your situation, contacting an experienced family law attorney is a smart course of action to ensure you and your child’s best interests are represented. Book a call with us to receive important legal advice regarding your rights and responsibilities involved in the fundamental relationship with your child.
There are three ways to establish parentage in Washington state: 1. Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage, 2. court order, or 3. by establishing “de facto” parentage.
In the first method, an Acknowledgment of Parentage is signed by both the mother and father. If by court order, a judge reviews relevant evidence and may request genetic testing to determine a child’s parentage. Lastly, requesting “de facto” parentage is the process by which someone who is not a biological parent of a child but has served as one may request legal parentage of a child. Once parentage is established, the parents will be granted rights to the child and be required to provide child support as required.
Michele is knowledgeable and well respected and I could tell she had a reputation for being a straight shooter. Although she minimized unnecessary litigation, she got into court when things got crazy.
—Gary
Michele paved the way for my wife and me to reach agreements without going to mediation or court.
—David
Michele and her staff are extremely knowledgeable in the field of family law. She is well respected by her colleagues, commissioners, and judges. She is honest, straightforward forward and takes pride in her work product. She is considerate to each client’s unique situation and works closely with them to find solutions to avoid litigation, if necessary.
—T
She consulted with me and gave me honest and professional advice about my situation and what I needed to do. This led to me finally getting my estate planning in order and now I can rest easier knowing that my children will be taken care of and my assets will be handled as I want them.
—The Family
Michele is knowledgeable and well respected and I could tell she had a reputation for being a straight shooter. Although she minimized unnecessary litigation, she got into court when things got crazy.
—Gary
During the course of my divorce, Michele provided me with excellent service. It was a joy to work with Michele and her staff—even though I was going through a rough divorce.
—Laurie
With over 20 years of experience in family law, Michele O’Loane, and her team are here to help you through difficult situations.
We take an honest, direct to set realistic expectations for your case. By doing so, we can work together to reach the best resolution possible.
We believe in providing transparent pricing and flat-fee options to best serve our clients and their budgets.
Whether you need legal assistance from start to finish or help with a particular portion of your case, we use our flexibility to fit your needs.
O’Loane Law Firm is a family law practice in Everett, Washington focused on divorce, child custody, child support, and other related cases. We are dedicated to reaching the best result possible for your situation.
