Ventura Paternity Attorneys
Fighting for Father's Rights in CA
California paternity cases are called actions to determine parental relationships to establish who the child’s legal father is. You might need to determine paternity in the event you and your partner were not married at the time your child was born. This will need to be established before the father is legally entitled to child custody, child support, or visitation rights. A father has no legal rights or responsibilities to care for his child until paternity has been determined.
As the mother of a child, you might want to establish paternity to obtain a child support order for your child. As the father of a child, you might want to establish paternity to solidify your parental rights. Regardless of the situation, you should speak with an experienced lawyer to help you understand your rights.
How Do You Establish Paternity in California?
You can establish paternity in California by signing a Declaration of Paternity or obtaining a court order. A Declaration of Paternity is a legal document signed voluntarily by both legal parents of the child. Typically, this is signed right after the child is born at the hospital.
If a father is unsure if a child is his, he has the right to ask the court for a paternity test. He should not sign the Declaration of Paternity until he knows the results of this test.
Why Would You Want to Establish Paternity?
The main reason for establishing paternity is to obtain custody of a child.
Additional benefits include:
- The right to inherit from each parent
- Gaining access to family medical history and records
- Health insurance coverage from each parent
Who Can Request a Paternity Order Submission?
A paternity order request can also be submitted through California court. The individuals who can make this type of paternity request are as follows:
- The child’s mother
- The “alleged” father – the man who believes he is the father of the child
- An adoption agency
What Happens if a Married Woman Gets Pregnant with Another Man’s Child?
If a married woman gets pregnant with another man’s child who is not her husband, paternity can get complicated. In California, if a child is born, the couple were married, and they were cohabiting at the time of conception and birth, a presumption arises that the child is a child of the marriage.
The presumption may be challenged within two years of the child’s birth upon application and genetic testing.
Turn to Our Ventura Paternity Lawyers with Your Questions
As you can see, marriage often trumps paternity in the state of California. If you have questions or concerns regarding the paternity of your child, or you need assistance establishing who the father is, contact our experienced lawyers today.
It is important to handle a paternity case as soon as the child is born as these types of cases take a significant amount of time to work through. Matters such as child custody, visitation, child support and financial issues must all be taken into consideration. Do not hesitate to call us today to get started on your case.
Contact us online or call us at (805) 222-7818 to book a consultation to discuss your paternity case.
An Emphasis on Strong Family Values
Our firm places a strong emphasis on the importance of family values. The balance between maintaining these family values and generating a better future for you and your family is one we strive to achieve with each case. Our values consist of:
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Holistic Approach
We aim to resolve conflict so you and your family can move on peacefully. We approach all aspects of a case, including the emotional, financial, and mental components, and advocate with you throughout.
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Collaboration
Collaborative divorce can be a great option for spouses looking to share joint custody of their child/children and the court looks favorably on this decision. When possible, we strive to come to a resolution that will benefit both spouses.
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Children Come First
We respect the fact that our clients trust us with important life-decisions. We strive to be as understanding and empathetic as we can with you and treat you like we would treat a close family member.
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Compassionate Legal Services
We respect the fact that our clients trust us with important life-decisions. We strive to be as understanding and empathetic as we can with you and treat you like we would treat a close family member.
Our Satisfied Clients
Real Stories from Real People
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“She and her staff are professional with decades of experience.”
- JasonI recommend Donna Santo and her staff. She and her staff are professional with decades of experience. They understand the law and how family law cases are heard in the courts. I had an extremely complex custody case with dozens of health professionals, collateral contacts, and opinions floating around. There were so many accusations, crisis, and charges; and every one of them felt extremely important to me. My concerns were serious, and the innumerable quantity along with counter accusations overwhelmed the courts. Donna's office was able to sift through and make sense of things to help get things on track. Donna's office took the time to relate this to the courts in a logical digestible manner for the best possible outcome. It took time. I needed to trust. She knows her stuff, and is strong at the right times.
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“We are forever grateful to Mr. Mehas”
Hiring Santo Mehas Professional Law Firm, specifically Michael Mehas has been a tremendous blessing. Divorce and child custody is a very stressful, unpleasant and unpredictable experience and Mr. Mehas has been our sword and shield throughout the process. Without the support and guidance of his expertise, I’m not sure where my family would be. We are forever grateful to Mr. Mehas for fighting for us and we are very happy with the outcome of our case.- Lupe V. -
“Donna did a great job on my divorce.”
“They kept the case on track, knew which options were optimal, and responded well to my preferences for proceeding.They kept legal bills to a minimum as they worked expertly on my behalf.”- David -
“I highly recommend using them!”
- Kirstie D.Donna Santo and Michael William Mehas have been amazing to work with. Very professional, knowledgeable , and kind. They helped me with a custody case and my family and I couldn’t be happier.
They were a blessing to us and we will forever appreciate them.
Thank you so much ❤️!
I highly recommend using them!
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“The level of honesty and professionalism is beyond compare, not to mention compassion.”
“The level of honesty and professionalism is beyond compare, not to mention compassion. I feel that any attorney that can show compassion to their client as well as represent them is by far the best attorney.”- Erin H. -
“Donna Santo is a very professional lawyer”
- KathyDonna Santo is a very professional lawyer, along with a very professional staff. I was searching for a lawyer familiar with military law, and Donna was the top of the search!! I needed a divorce attorney, and she has amazing military knowledge. She kept me up to date on everything and if I did not understand something she was very patient and explained in detail, until I completely understood the situation. When it came down to spousal support, a lump sum was not satisfactory, and Donna "fought" for me until I was awarded a lump sum and full monthly spousal support (we did not have children) and now I am able to live comfortably without worrying if I am going to make ends meet. If you need a professional lawyer, whether or not you need military law, consider Donna Santo, you will definitely NOT be disappointed!!
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“Santo Mehas is the law firm you want on your side.”
If you have to go through divorce and child custody, Santo Mehas is the law firm you want on your side. Both lawyers are very professional and knowledgeable yet caring and want the best for their clients. They work hard for their clients at every level and go above and beyond to make their clients relaxed and comfortable with the family law processes.- Jasmin R. -
“I was able to be a part of my child’s life which is priceless.”
- Matthew A.I had a divorce and child custody case and Santo Mehas represented me. Michael Mehas traveled from his Ventura office to Fresno to appear on my behalf and was diligent in fighting for my rights as a parent. We had a positive outcome with agreeable visitation rights. I was able to be a part of my child’s life which is priceless.
