If paternity is not established, can the mother still get child support?

In the state of Washington, if the paternity of a child is not established, the mother may still be able to receive child support. By Washington state law, paternity must be established before a court will order support for the child. However, if the mother is able to prove that the father is likely the father, the court may order him to pay child support even if paternity has not been established. The mother may be able to prove paternity by presenting evidence to the court such as: • Testimony from individuals who may have seen the father interacting with the child; • DNA testing that provides evidence of a biological relationship between the father and the child; • Acknowledgment of paternity forms from the father; • Financial records that show the father provided support to the child while they were living together. Although the court may order a father to pay child support without a paternity determination, the mother may still wish to establish paternity as it may also grant her certain rights, such as the right to receive child support and visitation rights, as well as a host of other rights. It is important to note that once paternity is established, the father has the right to be involved in their child’s life and gain custodial rights. For these reasons, it is important to establish the paternity of a child as soon as possible.

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If paternity is not established, can the mother still get child support?

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