When it is a question of identifying the child’s biological father, there are multiple ways to establish this fact. If parents are married when the child was born or shortly before birth, it is presumed that the mother’s spouse or ex-spouse is the child’s parent. Unmarried fathers may accept legal paternity by signing a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity. Either the mother or the presumed father may also begin court proceedings to establish paternity. If court proceedings begin, and the parties both agree that they are the child’s biological parents, the court can establish paternity right away. However, if there is a dispute, the court is likely to order a DNA test. The results will be used to decide paternity.