Paternity

questions & answers

Question: I have been paying child support for quite a while now. I have moved out of state. I have recently found out I should have questioned paternity because there is a chance he wasn't actually mine. What can I do? I am currently in arrears.

Answer: The answer to your question depends on how you were adjudged to be the father of the child.  Was there a paternity action that you failed to answer?  Did you agree to have your name on the birth certificate?  You need to meet with a lawyer who is knowledgeable about Arizona Family Law.  Because you are out of state, you might be able to schedule a telephone or skype conference with an Arizona lawyer.  There are 3 programs in Arizona that you can use to get some inexpensive legal advice and guidance.  One is the Modest Means Program.  For a $75.00 fee, the Modest Means Program will arrange a one hour consult with an experienced attorney.  The telephone number is (866) 637-5341. Both the Maricopa County Bar Association and the Pima County Bar Association have lawyer referral services that offer a 30 minute consult with an experienced attorney.  Maricopa County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 30 minute consultation for a fee of $40.00. The telephone number is (602) 257-4434.  Pima County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 30 minute consultation for a fee of $35.00.  The telephone number is (520) 623-4625.