Getting a Court Order: to establish parternity, support, custody and visitation, the process begins by filing a petition with the Circuit Court.

Additionally, as a father without custody and visitation rights it is important to file to establish those rights. Failure to do so can lead to paying child support while being denied contact with your child. If you are alleged to be the father of a child, you should seek this remedy immediately rather than allowing the Division of Child Support Enforcement to proceed to establish an administrative order of support.

Failure to do so may cause a bifurcation of your rights and responsibilities, with the courts managing contact with your child, while Division of Child Support Enforcement controls what you must pay. The Court may consider the whole circumstances of the parties where as the Division of Child Support Enforcement is limited to support issues only. The result is the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing. The misconduct of the parties in denying contact can not be addressed outside the court.