A paternity attorney is an absolute necessity when a man or woman needs to pursue some sort of paternity claim or issue. While all states have fairly clear-cut laws and guidelines around paternity suits, it still requires a knowledgeable and experienced paternity attorney to navigate their client through the system. It is important to remember that a paternity issue is not going to involve just the court system, but also the medical world as well. Paternity is established through DNA testing, and some men are reluctant to submit to such a test, even if they know they are not the father of a child. This may lead to further legal action and other court proceedings. All states also allow a paternity action by the child for one to five years after they have reached the state's "age of majority", and such claims will also need the qualified assistance of a paternity attorney.