filiation proceeding

Primary tabs

A filiation proceeding, also called an affiliation proceeding, is a proceeding brought in family court to establish the paternity of a child born out of wedlock, to identify the father of theĀ child. It commonly establishes the father's duty to support the child with an order of filiation, which is a legal document that grants the father visitation and custody rights and imposes financial support obligations. Once the court signs an order of filiation, a child support case will be started automatically.

[Last updated in December of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]