How to Establish Paternity in Missouri
Married parents of a child are the presumed legal and biological parents of that child in Missouri. However, if the parents are not married, there is no legal presumption of parentage. Instead, only the parent who gave birth to the child is considered the legal and biological parent. To change this, certain steps must be taken to establish the other parent’s parental rights. Parental rights include the right to make legal decisions for the child, the right to custody and visitation, and the right to provide or receive child support. There are several ways that a parent can establish their