Paternity
Establishing legal fatherhood.
Court forms for requesting or contesting the paternity of a child.
Overview
Paternity is the legal recognition of a child’s father. In Arizona, establishing paternity gives the father legal rights and responsibilities, including custody (legal decision-making), parenting time, and child support. If a child is born to unmarried parents, paternity must be legally established before these rights and responsibilities are enforced by the court.
When Paternity May Apply
A father wants to be legally recognized as the parent of his child
A mother requests child support from the father of her child
Parents want to establish custody, parenting time, and support for a child born outside of marriage
Either parent wants to modify or enforce an existing paternity-related order
Forms You’ll Need
To establish or contest paternity, you may need to file:
Petition to Establish Paternity (with legal decision-making, parenting time, and child support, if requested)
Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity (when both parents agree)
Response to Petition (if contesting)
Child Support Worksheet and Financial Affidavit (if support is requested)
Parenting Plan (if custody/parenting time is requested)
(Exact forms vary by county—check your local Superior Court or the Arizona Courts self-help center for the latest versions.)
Key Considerations for Fathers
Voluntary vs. Court-Ordered: If both parents agree, paternity can be established quickly through a voluntary acknowledgment. If there’s disagreement, the court may order genetic testing.
Custody and parenting rights: Establishing paternity is the first step for unmarried fathers to secure legal decision-making and parenting time.
Child support obligations: Once paternity is established, child support may be ordered based on Arizona’s guidelines.
Name changes: Fathers may also request to add their child’s surname as part of the paternity case.
Resources & Support
The information offered on this site is made available as a public service and is not intended to take the place of legal advice. If you do not understand something, have trouble filling out any of the forms, or are not sure these forms and instructions apply to your situation, see an attorney for help. Consult a state Law Library or the Legal Aid Resources page for information on free or reduced cost legal aid for more information.
Not all forms may be accepted in all Arizona courts – you should contact the clerk of the court in which you will be filing to confirm the use of a particular form, determine whether any additional forms are required and verify the filing fees. The Arizona Bar Foundation assumes no responsibility and accepts no liability for actions taken by users of these documents, including reliance on their contents.