Wisconsin Paternity & Child Support

1. Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgment. Paternity is presumed if the child was born during a marriage. The husband is presumed to be the father unless and until that paternity is disproven.

   After the birth of your baby, unmarried fathers and mothers can sign a form that will make sure the father's name is put on the birth certificate and make him the legal father. The form is called the Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgment. This form can be obtained from the hospital when your baby is born. You may acquire the form at any time after the child's birth from the child support agency or register of deeds office in your county. The form must signed before a notary public and returned to the Vital Records Office in Madison, Wisconsin.

2. Stipulations and Order. Both the mother and father may agree to establish paternity by signing a legal agreement that is recorded with the county. The agreement will adjudicate paternity and may determine legal custody and/or physical placement and visitation schedules as well. set child support obligations. To be binding, the agreement must also be incorporated into a Court order.

3. Contested Paternity Proceedings. If the parents cannot reach an agreement on issues of paternity, Summons and Complaint may be drafted and served commencing a contested paternity action. As part of this paternity process, the purported father may request genetic blood testing to determine whether or not he has been excluded as the father of the child. For an explanation of blood testing, click here. Generally, the child support agency will initially pay for the genetic testing. If the testing establishes a high probability that the man is the father, the Court may order the father to pay for a portion of the test costs. Wisconsin Statutes Sections 767.51(3) and 767.62(4) requires that a court to decide all issues, including custody and placement, in the final adjudication of paternity.