Who is the Father?

There are four ways to be determined the father of a child in Alaska:

1. You are married to the mother when she gives birth. Alaska Law requires that that husband of the mother be listed on the birth certificate as the legal father of the child, even if he is not the biological father. 
2. You and the mother can acknowledge paternity by filling out an Affidavit of Paternity and filing it with the Bureau of Vital Statistics. This is commonly done at the hospital following the child's birth, but can be done at any time. 
3. CSSD can establish paternity for child support purposes. They will either request an Affidavit of Paternity from the parents, or conduct DNA testing.
4. Either parent can file a case in court, requesting that a judge establish paternity. 

In cases where the father is not the mother's husband, it may be necessary to disestablish paternity. This can be done through either:

1. An Affidavit of Paternity executed by the mother, father, and the mother's husband, or
2. A court case filed by either the mother, the current (legal) father, or the biological father. In order for this case to be successful, a DNA test will be required.