Pursuant to A.R.S. § 12-631, an unmarried woman has a period of one year in which they can raise a paternity suit against the putative father. It is necessary for the action to be brought within a period of one year after the child is born.
The action is then declared cumulative to the solutions provided through other statutes. A.R.S. § 12-841 et seq states that the mother of the child can bring an action against the defendant in the name of the state in order to prove paternity.
In the case where the accused is found to be guilty or to be the father of the child, he will be declared the father of the child. As the father of the child, he will be charged with the maintenance of the child until they are no longer classified as minors.
If the child becomes a public charge or is likely to become a public charge the state can initiate action on its complaint according to the A.R.S. § 12-850.