The age of the father or mother is not relevant under paternity establishment laws. Indiana law permits a paternity action to be started anytime before the child reaches the age of 21. A married woman's husband will be recorded as the father on the child's birth certificate. When the mother is not married at the time of conception or birth, the name of the father can appear on the child's birth certificate if a paternity affidavit has been completed and notarized first. When the Court establishes paternity, the name of the father as determined by the Court will be entered on the birth certificate.
Visitation can be a mutual arrangement between the parents or established by a court order.
The father has the right to seek court-ordered custody and visitation. These tests are highly accurate now, and it is almost always possible to determine who fathered a baby and to rule out anyone who did not. That is one reason why so few paternity cases go to trial. If the mother is an AFDC recipient the State will prepay the blood-testing. If the blood test identifies the father, then the father will repay the State.