In many states, it is necessary for a father to first establish paternity before he will have any rights to the child.  This makes the paternity action the first of potentially many issues to be decided.  By mediating the paternity case rather than litigating it, the parties can begin in a spirit of cooperation and work toward making other decisions related to the child.

In mediation, the parties can discuss their respective positions in a calm and respectful manner.  At the same time, parents can use creative solutions that may not be available in court.  For example, if a man knows that he is not the biological father but would like to remain part of the child’s life, the parents may agree to paternity without requiring any type of DNA test to confirm parentage.  If the parties do not wish to have their case made public in front of others in the courtroom, mediation is a sensible alternative as the information shared during mediation is confidential.

After paternity is established, the parents may then discuss other topics related to the child, including their goals for his or her upbringing, the type of relationship that the parents want the child to have with each of them and how much time each parent will have with the child.  The parents may find that they are in agreement on many of these subjects once they focus on the child’s interests.  The parents may work out a parenting plan, custody arrangement or visitation schedule that suits both the needs of their child and their own professional and personal obligations.

Parents can also discuss child support by taking into consideration their incomes, the costs of daycare, medical insurance and other costs to raise the child.