Paternity is the legal recognition of a child’s father.
In plain language, paternity answers who is legally treated as the child’s father for purposes such as custody, parenting time, child support, inheritance, benefits, and official records.
Why it matters
Paternity matters because legal parentage creates rights and responsibilities. Without a parentage determination or acknowledgment, a person may not have enforceable custody rights or child-support obligations.
The term also matters when parents are unmarried, parentage is disputed, or a birth certificate does not settle the legal question.
Where it appears
Paternity appears in child-support cases, custody petitions, parentage actions, birth-record issues, genetic-testing disputes, and government-benefit matters.
Practical example
An unmarried parent files a parentage action asking the court to establish paternity before custody and child support are addressed.
How it differs from nearby terms
Paternity differs from child custody. Paternity identifies legal parentage; custody concerns decision-making and parenting time.
It also differs from child support, though paternity can be a required step before support is ordered.
Related terms
Quick knowledge check
Question: What does paternity establish?
Answer: Legal fatherhood and related parentage rights or obligations.