Paternity and Parentage

If parents are unmarried, the parent responsible for the child has a right to receive child support. Conflicts frequently arise in determining who should have custody of the child, the amount of parenting time each parent should have, and appropriate support payments. When one parent disputes the child's parentage, a Court will frequently order a paternity test. A person who is found to be a child's parent has a right to have parenting time (or visitation) with the child and will also have the obligation to financially contribute to that child's upbringing.

Child support payments are usually based on the guidelines described in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. In addition to guideline child support, the non-custodial parent may be required to contribute to educational expenses, medical insurance, medical expenses, day-care, summer camp, extra-curricular expenses, and college expenses. Crafting parenting time schedules for the non-residential parent is also an important element that must be considered in the parentage process.

Lyn C. Conniff Law Offices can help you with your paternity issue. Our compassionate and experienced staff can walk you through the legal process and ensure that your rights are protected.

Lyn C. Conniff Law Offices represents clients within and throughout Chicago. Our Oak Park office typically serves Chicago's western suburban communities, such as Oak Park, River Forest, Hinsdale, Riverside, Brookfield, Oak Brook, Elmhurst, Naperville, and Schaumburg. Our Chicago office has typically served clients from the north side of Chicago, as well as the northern suburbs of Evanston, Skokie, Wilmette, Glenview, Kenilworth, and Winnetka, and the southern suburbs including Flossmoor, Olympia Fields, and Palos Heights. Contact us for a consultation.