Paternity is legal fatherhood—and establishing it is one of the most important steps in the child support process. A man is generally presumed to be the father of children born to his wife during their marriage. The presumption of the husband’s paternity can be rebutted through court-ordered genetic testing. The circumstances under which paternity is presumed vary from state to state, and are usually included in a state’s statutes—often in the statutes grouped together and known as the family code.
In Louisiana, paternity is the legal recognition of a man as the father of a child. The state presumes that a man is the legal father of a child if the child is born during his marriage to the mother. This presumption can be challenged and potentially overturned with the aid of court-ordered genetic testing. Louisiana's laws regarding the presumption of paternity and the process for contesting it are codified in the state's civil code, particularly in the sections dealing with family law. If a child is born outside of marriage, paternity can be established through a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity by both parents or by a court judgment. Establishing paternity is crucial for determining child support obligations, inheritance rights, and the child's eligibility for certain benefits.