Paternity establishment

Paternity and Legitimation are concerns families often find themselves dealing with when children are born out of wedlock. 

North Carolina laws reflect some of the archaic language that differentiate the rights of children born to a marriage, and those that were not. Until the law bestows equal rights to both children, parents need to be sure these issues are addressed. But what are they?

Paternity establishes the obligation of the father to support the minor child. 

This is through signing an Affidavit of Parentage at the hospital, or later on after the conclusion 

of a DNA test. 

Legitimation on the other hand solidifies that connection and permits the minor child to inherit intestate from that father and vise versa. It also vests the father with the natural rights of parenthood to care, custody, and control of that child.