Establishing paternity is a crucial step in securing a father's legal rights and responsibilities in New York. Whether you're a mother, an alleged father, or a concerned guardian, an experienced Syracuse family law attorney can help you understand how paternity is established, and potentially challenged, is essential to protecting a child's best interests.

 

Who Can File a Paternity Petition in New York?

In New York, several people or agencies have the right to file a paternity petition in Family Court. These include:

 

• The child’s mother

• A man who believes he is the father

• The child or the child’s legal guardian

• The Department of Social Services (if the child receives public assistance)

 

Filing a paternity petition begins the legal process of determining who the child’s father is. The court may order genetic (DNA) testing, and if paternity is established, the court can then issue an Order of Filiation, which gives the father both rights (such as custody or visitation) and responsibilities (such as child support).

 

What Is an Order of Filiation?​

An Order of Filiation is a court order in New York that legally establishes the father of a child. This order may be issued after a man admits paternity in court, signs an acknowledgment, or following genetic (DNA) testing that proves paternity.

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Once an Order of Filiation is entered, the father gains both rights and responsibilities. This includes the right to seek custody or visitation and the obligation to provide financial support for the child, and the ability to amend the child's birth certificate and change child’s last name. The order also ensures the child has legal rights, such as inheritance rights and access to the father’s health insurance or benefits.​

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How Is Paternity Established?​

If a child is born during a marriage, the husband is legally presumed to be the father.

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If a child not born to a married couple, paternity may be established in two ways:​

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1. By Consent:​

• If the mother was unmarried when the child was conceived or born, both parents can agree to paternity without DNA testing by the presumed father's signing of an Acknowledgement of Paternity. 

• If the mother was married, but the child is not the husband's, the husband, mother, and biological father can all agree to consent to the father's paternity.

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​2. By Court Order:​​​

• If there’s no agreement, the court may require DNA testing.

• Even after a DNA match, a hearing may still be held with the burden of proof shifting to the party contesting the results.

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Challenging or Vacating a Paternity Order

T​here are specific rules in New York about when and how paternity can be challenged.

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If a child is born during a marriage, the husband is legally presumed to be the father. Similarly, if an unmarried father signs an Acknowledgment of Paternity at the hospital or later, he is legally recognized as the father. In either situation, paternity can be challenged, but it usually must be done within a certain time frame—generally within 60 days of signing the acknowledgment, unless there is proof of fraud, duress, or a material mistake of fact.

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A person who wants to dispute paternity may file a petition in Family Court requesting genetic (DNA) testing. However, the court will not automatically order testing in every case. Judges are required to consider the best interests of the child, especially if there is already an established parent-child relationship. In some cases, the court may decide it would be harmful to the child to disturb that relationship, even if genetic testing shows the man is not the biological father.

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Because paternity disputes involve strict deadlines, complex legal standards, and the well-being of a child, it’s important to seek legal advice right away if you believe paternity should be challenged.

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Equitable Estoppel

Courts may also consider "equitable estoppel," a legal doctrine that can prevent a party from challenging or denying paternity even if biological evidence suggests otherwise. This principle is applied when allowing the challenge would lead to unfair prejudice or harm, particularly to the child. In essence, if an individual has held themselves out as the child's parent (providing emotional, financial, and day-to-day support over time) the court may estop (or bar) them from later disclaiming paternity to avoid disrupting the child's established relationship and stability. The paramount concern in these cases is always the best interests of the child, and equitable estoppel ensures that long-standing parental bonds are not severed solely based on biology.​

 

For instance, equitable estoppel might be invoked to deny a request for DNA testing if the child has relied on the presumed father as their parent for years, and testing could cause emotional harm or instability. It can also apply in the reverse: preventing a mother from asserting a different biological father if she has fostered a close relationship between the child and a non-biological father figure. Factors courts consider include the length and nature of the relationship, the child's age and emotional attachment, any representations made about parentage, and potential prejudice to the child if the relationship is disrupted. Notably, this doctrine can impose ongoing financial responsibilities on a non-biological parent, such as child support, while potentially limiting rights like visitation in certain contexts. The doctrine may be raised by any party to the proceeding or even the attorney for the child.

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Contact Us Today​​​

If you're unsure about your legal rights as a father or trying to secure support or involvement for your child, don’t navigate the process alone. Contact an experienced Syracuse family law attorney to talk about where you stand and what comes next.

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To learn more about the laws regarding paternity in New York State see our blog post Establishing Paternity in New York State: What You Need to Know

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Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Viewing this site or contacting us through it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes.