It depends. If you are in need of child support, then filing for paternity may be the first step to getting the father to pay that support. The reverse is also true; if you are a father seeking custody of a child born out of wedlock, then you might need to establish paternity. However, once paternity is established, you could expose yourself to a child support obligation. Each individual case is different, and you should speak with an attorney before taking any steps towards establishing paternity. If you would like to speak with an attorney regarding paternity, custody, or child support call Garrett, Walker, Aycoth & Olson, Attorneys at Law today to set up a consultation with one of our family law attorneys.