1. What is paternity?
Paternity means fatherhood. Establishing paternity means that either a court or administrative order is issued stating who the legal father is, or the mother and father voluntarily sign a paternity acknowledgment affidavit naming the father of the child. Paternity should be established if the parents of the child were not married to each other at the time the mother became pregnant or at the time of the birth of the child.
2. Why is it important to establish paternity?
Both parents and the child have the right to a full parent-child relationship. Both parents deserve an opportunity to develop, enjoy and grow in this relationship. The father has the right to know the child and to contribute to the success of the child's future. By establishing paternity, the father is providing the child with certain rights and privileges, which may include the following:
- Emotional and financial support from both parents.
- Legal documentation of who the child's parents are.
- Access to family medical records.
- Medical and life insurance coverage from either parent, if available.
- Social Security and Veteran's benefits, if available.
- Inheritance protections.
- The emotional benefits of knowing who both parents are.
3. In South Carolina, can the parents voluntarily acknowledge paternity?
Yes. To voluntarily acknowledge paternity, both parents must sign a paternity acknowledgment affidavit under oath acknowledging paternity. This paternity acknowledgment affidavit is available at the hospital or medical clinic immediately prior to or after the birth of the child and at the Vital Records' Office of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control or the county health department in the county where the child was born.
4. Further Information
For further information regarding Paternity Establishment, you may contact us at:
Child Support Enforcement Division
Paternity Establishment
P. O. Box 1469
Columbia, SC 29202-1469
Phone: (803)898-9341 or 1-800-768-5858
-- South Carolina Department of Social Services