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Legal parentage can be an important step for both parents and children. In Illinois, parentage may be established by a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage, an administrative parentage order or a court order. Once parentage is legally established, it can impact child support, inheritance rights, medical benefits, and other important legal rights. O’Flaherty Law can help Bloomington parents determine which method applies to their situation and what steps may be necessary.
Not all paternity cases are simple. The parent may question whether they are the biological parent. One party may deny parentage. There may already be someone legally presumed to be the child’s parent. In case of dispute, the courts and genetic testing may be necessary. If there is any question about biological parentage, it is important to understand your options before signing the Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage, as this may have serious legal consequences.
A paternity determination is often only one piece of a larger family law issue. Parentage does not automatically establish parenting time or the allocation of parental duties and responsibilities. Those issues may need separate agreements or court orders. Child support may also need to be addressed. Our Bloomington family law attorneys can help you see the big picture, identify the issues that need to be addressed and craft a practical plan that takes your child and your long term goals into account.
Please contact our friendly lawyers to Schedule a Consultation.
The purpose of a consultation is to determine whether our firm is a good fit for your legal needs. Although we often discuss expected results and costs, our attorneys do not give legal advice unless and until you choose to retain us.
207 W. Jefferson St STE 313
Bloomington, IL 61701
I am personally committed to ensuring that each one of our clients receives the highest level of client service from our team. Our mission is to provide excellent legal work in a cost-effective manner while maintaining open lines of communication between our clients and their attorneys. Many of our clients are going through difficult times in their lives when they reach out to us. They should feel comfortable leaning on the experience and knowledge of our attorneys as their counselors and advocates. We are here to help!

No. A Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage may establish a legal parent-child relationship, but it does not create parenting time or allocate parental responsibilities unless it is signed. The parent may need to negotiate with the other parent or seek a suitable parenting order from the court.
Illinois gives a limited amount of time to rescind a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage. A properly executed rescission generally must be filed within 60 days of the effective date of the VAP or the date of a proceeding involving the child, whichever occurs first. It can be important to act quickly because once that time has passed it becomes more difficult to challenge an acknowledgment and usually involves a court proceeding.
Yes. A parent’s voluntary refusal to admit parentage does not always end the matter. Parentage can be established administratively or thru the courts, and genetic testing may be used if biological parentage is in dispute. A Bloomington paternity lawyer can help determine what the right process is based on the facts of your case.