Methods of Paternity Establishment
There are two general methods of paternity establishment: administrative and judicial. Administrative paternity establishment occurs outside the court and may be completed by the parties after the birth of the child with the signing of a COP. The second method is judicial paternity establishment, which refers to the issue of paternity being resolved by way of a court order, consistent with N.J.S.A. 9:17-38 et seq.
Note: In New Jersey, signing the birth certificate alone does not establish paternity when the parents are not married to each other.