Paternity in Arizona FAQ | Paternity Law in Arizona

A paternity action in Arizona just refers to a situation of a child born out of wedlock. There is no presumption as to who is the father of the child when a child is born out of wedlock. The biological father has no legal rights to the child, no parenting rights, and no rights to make legal decisions for the child until the court declares who is the father of that child.

The most common way to establish paternity is by going to court and obtaining a Declaratory Judgment of Paternity. The parents may agree who is the father of the child and get a Declaratory Judgment of Paternity by that agreement. If the parties don’t agree or a party requests DNA testing, the court will order DNA testing to establish if a person is the father of the child.

Once paternity is established, the court will issue orders regarding legal decision-making regarding the child, parenting time, set current child support and, if necessary, enter a judgment for past child support.

---

• What is paternity in Arizona?
• Why should I establish paternity in Arizona?
• Where do I establish paternity in Arizona?
• How can I establish paternity in Arizona?
• How to get DNA testing to establish paternity in Arizona?
• How to get a voluntary establishment of paternity in Arizona?
• How long do you have to challenge a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity?
• How to establish paternity through the Arizona Department of Health Services?
• Is there an easy way to establish paternity in Arizona?
• Can an Arizona county attorney file a paternity complaint?
• Can a spouse contest paternity through DNA testing of a child born during a marriage?
• Is there a time limit to establishing paternity in Arizona?
• Can a father change a child’s last name in a paternity case in Arizona?
• What happens if the father’s name is not on the birth certificate?
• Does intentionally using a fraudulent acknowledgment of paternity constitute a fraud on the court?
• Is paternity testing denied when a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity is signed?
• Is a paternity action filed by a child subject to the doctrines of res judicata and privity in Arizona?
• Can I request paternity testing after an affidavit of acknowledgment of paternity has been signed?
• Does the best interests test apply to paternity testing for a child born during the marriage?
• Do Arizona courts have personal jurisdiction in a paternity case if conception occurred in Arizona?
• How can I challenge a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity in Arizona?
• What is the standard of proof to challenge the paternity of a child in Arizona?
• Is the Superior Court the only court that can decide issues of paternity in Arizona?
• What is the Uniform Declaratory Judgments Act in Arizona paternity cases?
• What should I know about putting a father’s name on my child’s birth certificate?
• Do Arizona courts have personal jurisdiction over a nonresident in an Arizona child support case?
• Can I contest paternity after a divorce in Arizona?
• What is the putative father registry?
• What is good cause in a paternity action?

Chris Hildebrand wrote this frequently asked questions page about paternity in Arizona to ensure everyone has access to information about paternity laws in Arizona. Chris is a family law attorney at Hildebrand Law, PC. He has over 24 years of Arizona family law experience and has received multiple awards, including US News and World Report “Top Arizona Divorce Attorneys”, Phoenix Magazine “Top Divorce Law Firms”, and Arizona Foothills Magazine “Best of the Valley” award. He believes the policies and procedures he uses to get his clients through a paternity case should all be guided by the principles of honesty, integrity, and actually caring about what his clients are going through.