Are you looking for a paternity lawyer in Marietta, GA?
At Vayman & Teitelbaum, P.C., we provide paternity representation grounded in 45 years of combined work on behalf of clients in Marietta.
If your child was born outside of marriage in Marietta, Georgia law treats the two parents differently until a court says otherwise. The mother has custody from the day of the birth. The father, even one named on the birth certificate, has a support obligation and little else. Our Marietta, GA paternity lawyer represents mothers and fathers in establishing paternity, contesting it, and securing the rights that follow. Our founding attorneys have practiced Georgia family law since 2002 and 2005. Paternity and legitimation cases have been part of that work throughout. To discuss your case, reach out to a client coordinator at our Marietta office.
Paternity Lawyer Marietta, GA
Georgia recorded 46.0% of its live births to unmarried mothers in 2024, according to CDC state birth data. Each of those children has a father with no automatic legal standing. For Marietta families, the cases that follow are filed and heard at Cobb County Superior Court on Haynes Street.
A paternity attorney in Marietta, GA identifies the child's legal father and then handles everything that flows from that determination. For a father, the work usually begins with establishing paternity and continues through a legitimation petition. For a mother, it often starts with a request for an enforceable support order. We represent both sides, and we handle the disputes that arise when one parent questions whether the acknowledged father is the biological one.
Types of Paternity Cases We Handle in Marietta
Paternity is rarely a single question. Once a father is identified, custody, support, and parenting time follow. Each one can be contested. These are the cases our attorneys take on for Marietta, GA families.
- Paternity acknowledgment. Unmarried parents can sign a voluntary acknowledgment at the hospital or later at a vital records office, and doing so places the father on the birth certificate. We review the form's consequences with clients before they sign, because it becomes difficult to undo once the rescission period closes.
- Paternity petitions. When a parent won't sign, or when the identity of the father is in doubt, a petition asks the court to decide. The court can order genetic testing. The results determine who owes support and who has standing to seek legitimation.
- Legitimation. Paternity alone doesn't give a father custody or parenting time in Georgia. Legitimation is the separate court process that does, and the difference between paternity and legitimation surprises many fathers. We file and litigate legitimation petitions in Cobb County Superior Court.
- Child custody. After legitimation, a father may seek joint or primary custody. Courts apply the best interests standard to unmarried parents the same way they do in a divorce, and we build custody cases around that standard.
- Child support. Mothers often need an enforceable order rather than informal payments. We pursue support through the court or alongside the Division of Child Support Services. We also defend fathers against calculations that don't reflect their actual income.
- Parenting time. A legitimated father with no custody order still needs a schedule. Georgia courts decide custody for unmarried parents using the same factors that apply to married ones, and we negotiate or litigate parenting plans accordingly.
- Contested paternity. A man who signed an acknowledgment and later learns he may not be the father has limited options, and the timing of his challenge is often decisive. We advise clients on the signs of paternity fraud and on the evidence a court will require.
- Birth certificate and name changes. Adding a father's name, changing a child's surname, or correcting the record after a court order each requires specific filings. We handle the paperwork that gets a father's name recorded accurately.
Why Choose Vayman & Teitelbaum, P.C. as my Paternity Lawyer in Marietta, GA?
Two founding attorneys handle our paternity work, and each has a long record in Georgia family courts.
A Guardian ad Litem's Perspective on Children in Paternity Cases
Esther Vayman has practiced in Georgia since 2005. In 2015, the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation named her its Guardian ad Litem of the Year, a role that involves investigating high-conflict custody cases for the children involved. That experience informs how we prepare a legitimation or custody petition, because as a family law lawyer in Marietta, GA, we know what a judge and a guardian will examine. She has been selected to Super Lawyers every year from 2018 through 2024. The same organization placed her on its Top 50 Women Attorneys list for Georgia in both 2023 and 2024. In 2024, she also appeared on its Top 100 Georgia Lawyers list.
Two Founding Attorneys Recognized Through Peer Review
Gregory Teitelbaum has been admitted in Georgia since 2002. He has held the GA Elite Lawyer designation each year from 2021 through 2024. Best Lawyers recognized him in 2023 and 2024, and he was named a Top 10 Family Law Attorney in 2024.
Both attorneys are admitted to the State Bar of Georgia, the Supreme Court of Georgia, and the Georgia Court of Appeals. Our attorneys have resolved legitimation, custody, and support disputes for Cobb County parents through negotiated agreements and through contested hearings. Clients meet with us at our Marietta office rather than traveling to another county.
Understanding Paternity Cases
Paternity, Legitimation, and Parental Rights in Georgia
Georgia separates who fathered a child from who holds parental rights. Paternity answers the first question and legitimation the second. A father needs both before he can ask for custody. The benefits of paternity for the child include the father's name on the birth record, a support obligation the state can enforce, and eligibility for benefits through the father.
- Paternity. A legal finding that a particular man is the child's father. It creates a duty of support and places his name on the birth certificate.
- Voluntary acknowledgment. A notarized form both parents sign, available through the state acknowledgment program. After the rescission window closes, it can be challenged only for fraud, duress, or material mistake of fact.
- Legitimation. A court order making the father the child's legal parent. It carries the right to seek custody and parenting time. It also lets father and child inherit from each other.
- Legal father. When a mother is married at the time of the birth, her husband is presumed to be the father. The acknowledgment form isn't available then, and a court petition is required to change the record.
- Best interests of the child. The standard a judge applies before granting legitimation and in every custody decision that follows.
What Are Important Aspects of a Paternity Case?
Two aspects decide most of these cases. The first is timing, since Georgia limits how long a parent has to rescind an acknowledgment, and judges weigh delay when a father waits years before seeking legitimation. The second is evidence, and a Marietta paternity attorney will ask for it early.
- Genetic test results, which the court can order when paternity is disputed.
- The father's history of contact and support, which a judge reviews when deciding whether legitimation serves the child.
- Financial records, since the support calculation depends on them and Georgia permits retroactive child support in some cases.
- The mother's marital status at the time of the birth, which determines whether a legal father already exists.
What Is The Paternity Case Timeline?
A voluntary acknowledgment can be completed at the hospital in a single visit. A contested case moves through Cobb County Superior Court over several months, and the steps below are typical for Marietta, GA parents.
- Filing. A petition for paternity, legitimation, or both is filed with the Superior Court Clerk.
- Service and response. The other parent is served and has a short window to answer the petition.
- Testing. If paternity is disputed, the court orders genetic testing. The Division of Child Support Services also requires it in new support cases where paternity is unresolved.
- Mediation and the co-parenting seminar. Cobb County refers most domestic cases to mediation, and its judges require parents in any custody case to complete a four-hour co-parenting class.
- Hearing. Temporary orders may be entered early in the case. The final hearing resolves legitimation, custody, parenting time, and support together.
What Should You Bring to Your Paternity Consultation?
Bring what you have. Missing documents don't prevent a consultation, but complete records shorten the work afterward.
- The child's birth certificate and any signed paternity acknowledgment
- Genetic test results, if testing has already been done
- Records of financial support paid or received, including receipts and bank transfers
- Text messages, photos, and calendars showing the father's involvement with the child
- Any prior court or administrative orders involving the child
At the consultation, a client coordinator gathers the facts and your goals. We then explain which filings your situation calls for.
Marietta Family Court and Local Resources
Marietta paternity and legitimation cases are heard at Cobb County Superior Court. These offices handle filings, mediation, required classes, and vital records.
- Cobb County Superior Court. The trial court that hears paternity, legitimation, custody, and support cases for Marietta families, from the first filing through the final hearing.
- Cobb County Superior Court ADR Program. Runs mediation and case evaluation for domestic cases. Judges refer most contested family filings here before setting a trial date.
- Cobb County Superior Court Co-Parenting Seminar. The seminar is the court's required class for parents in custody cases. The workshop explains court procedure to self-represented litigants.
- Cobb and Douglas Public Health Vital Records Office. Maintains birth records for Cobb County and accepts paternity acknowledgments signed after a child leaves the hospital.
- Georgia Division of Child Support Services. The state agency that establishes paternity administratively, arranges genetic testing, and enforces support orders.
Vayman & Teitelbaum, P.C. lists these resources for reference only and doesn't endorse any outside agency or organization.
Reach Out to Vayman & Teitelbaum, P.C. to Schedule a Consultation
Paternity and legitimation cases for Cobb County families are handled through our Marietta office. Contact us to schedule a consultation with a paternity lawyer in Marietta. A client coordinator will gather the details of your situation and set a time for a full case review. We respond to inquiries during business hours and accept cases at every stage, from a first acknowledgment to a contested legitimation hearing.
