* You can file your paperwork in the district court in the county where the child or the alleged parent lives or is found, or in any county where public assistance was or is being paid on behalf of the child.  If the alleged parent is dead, you can file the paperwork in any county where a probate case has or could be filed.

* If there are no existing cases involving your child, you can file a new case to decide parentage.  Once parentage is decided, you can ask the court to decide custody and support for your child.  If you want to start a parentage case in Denver County, file your paperwork in Denver Juvenile Court.

* Note:  If you have already filed a child custody or child support case and you need the court to determine who the other parent is, file your paperwork to decide parentage in the existing custody or child support case.

*You will be known as the "Petitioner" and the alleged father will be known as the "Respondent".

Download and complete the following forms:
* JDF 1000 - Case Information Sheet,
* JDF 1501 - Petition to Determine Parentage,
* JDF 1502 - Summons, and
* JDF 1516 - Final Order for Parentage.
 

For detailed instructions on how to fill out these forms, review JDF 1500 - How to Establish Someone as a Parent.

* You must complete the Verification section on the last page of the Petition, including the day, month, and year in which you are signing, the location where you are when you sign the document, and your printed name and signature. 

* Fill out only the top ("caption") part of JDF1502 - Summons and JDF 1516 - Final Parentage Order and the court will fill out the rest. You do not need to sign these forms.

* Take your completed forms to the clerk at the counter in the courthouse. Give the forms to the clerk to file your case.

* The court will ask you to pay a filing fee. If you do not think you can afford the filing fee, go to the instructions and fill out form JDF 205 Motion to File Without Payment and Supporting Financial Affidavit and JDF 206 Finding and Order Concerning Payment of Fees to request a waiver of the filing fee.

* The clerk might ask you to complete additional forms. Please follow the clerk's instructions.

* After you file your forms wtih the court, you must arrange to deliver  JDF 1501 - Petition to Determine Parentage and JDF 1502 - Summons to the alleged parent (the Respondent).

* The clerk will provide you with a signed copy of JDF 1502 - Summons to be served on the alleged parent.

* Refer to the step-by-step instructions on how to arrange for personal service on the alleged parent and how to return proof of service to the court.

* If the alleged parent admits that the child is theirs, they can file JDF 1504 - Admission of Parentage with the court.

* If the alleged parent will not admit that the child is theirs, you can ask for genetic testing to be done using either JDF 1505 - Motion of Genetic Testing or JDF 1506 - Agreement for Genetic Testing to find out whether he is the father of your child.

* If you and the alleged parent agree on genetic testing, ask the court for genetic testing using JDF 1506 - Agreement for Genetic Testing.  Follow the instructions below in Option A to fill out the Agreement.

OPTION A - Fill out an Agreement for genetic testing:

* Download and complete JDF 1506 Agreement for Genetic Testing. You and the alleged father will both sign this form in front of a notary public or court clerk. You do not need to do this at the same time (Eg: you can sign in front of a notary or court clerk, give the form to the alleged father and have him sign in front of a notary or court clerk at a later time). You can find a local notary public by looking in the Yellow Pages, on the Internet or by going to your local bank.

* You and the alleged father will need to contact a testing agency to schedule a date and time for the test. Put the date and time of the test on the form.

* You and the alleged father will be responsible for paying the fee for the test.

* If you and the alleged father do not agree on genetic testing, ask the court for genetic testing using JDF 1505 Motion of Genetic Testing.  Follow the instructions below in Option B to fill out the Motion.

OPTION B - Fill out a Motion for genetic testing:

* Download and complete JDF 1505 Motion of Genetic Testing. You will sign the form, but the alleged father does not need to sign.

* Contact a testing agency to schedule a date and time for the test.  Put the date and time of the test of the form.

* You will be responsible for paying the fee for the test.

* You will need to mail or hand-deliver a copy of JDF 1505 Motion of Genetic Testing to the alleged father.  After you mail or hand-deliver a copy of the form, fill out the Certificate of Service part of the form and then file it with the court.

* Decide whether or not you agree with the information in the paperwork.

* The location and contact information of the court where the paternity paperwork was filed is on the top of the paperwork you received.

* Give your paperwork to the same court that is listed on the paperwork you received.

You will be known as the Respondent and the mother of the child will be known as the Petitioner.

STEP 1 - Download and Complete your Forms.

* Download and complete:
* JDF 1504 - Admission of Parentage

For detailed instructions on how to fill out these forms, review JDF 1500 - Instructions to Establish Paternity.

STEP 2 - Sign JDF 1504 Admission of Parentage in front of a notary public or court clerk.

* Take your completed JDF 1504 Admission of Parentage to either a notary public, or to a court clerk at the courthouse where you will file your case. You can find a local notary public by looking in the Yellow Pages, on the Internet, or by going to your local bank.

* You will need to pay any notarization fees.

STEP 3 - Mail or hand-deliver a copy of JDF 1504 - Admission of Parentage to the mother of the child.

* You will need to mail or hand-deliver a copy of JDF 1504 - Admission of Parentage to the mother of the child.  

STEP 4 - File JDF 1504 - Admission of Parentage with the court.

* Take your completed JDF 1504 - Admission of Parentage and JDF 1313 Certificate of Service to the courthouse and give them to the clerk.

* Download and complete Form JDF 1315 - Response.

* You will be the Respondent and the parent who started the case is the Petitioner.

* The case number is on the top of the paperwork you received.

* You will need to mail or hand-deliver a copy of JDF 1315 - Response to the other parent.

* If you do not want to admit that you are the child's parent, you can ask for genetic testing to be done using either JDF 1505 - Motion of Genetic Testing or JDF 1506 - Agreement for Genetic Testing to decide whether you are the father of the child.

* If you and the Petitioner agree on genetic testing, ask the court for genetic testing using JDF 1506 - Agreement for Genetic Testing.  Follow the instructions below in Option A to fill out the Agreement.

OPTION A - Fill out an Agreement for genetic testing:

* Download and complete JDF 1506 - Agreement for Genetic Testing.  You and the mother of the child will both sign this form in front of a notary public or court clerk.  You do not need to do this at the same time (Eg: you can sign in front of a notary or court clerk, give the form to the mother of the child and have her sign in front of a notary or court clerk at a later time).  You can find a local notary public by looking in the Yellow Pages, on the Internet or by going to your local bank.

* You and the Petitioner will need to contact a testing agency to schedule a date and time for the test. Put the date and time of the test on the form.

* You and the mother of the child will be responsible for paying the fee for the test.

* If you and the Petitioner of the child do not agree on genetic testing, ask the court for genetic testing using JDF 1505 - Motion of Genetic Testing.  Follow the instructions below in Option B to fill out the Motion.

OPTION B - Fill out a Motion for genetic testing:

* Download and complete JDF 1505 - Motion of Genetic Testing.  You will sign the form, but the mother of the child does not need to sign.

* Contact a testing agency to schedule a date and time for the test.  Put the date and time of the test of the form.

* You will be responsible for paying the fee for the test.

* You will need to mail or hand-deliver a copy of JDF 1505 - Motion of Genetic Testing to the Petitioner.

* If the person that you thought was the biological parent of your child isn't, you can ask the court to decide that the person is not the parent.

*A case can be filed by:

1.  A person who thought they were the biological parent of a child asking the court to decide that they are not an actual parent.

2.  The parent asking the court to decide that the person they thought was the other biological parent, isn't.

3.  A child asking the court to decide that the person they thought was their parent, is not the biological parent.

4.  The State Department of Human Services or the County Department of Social Services.

* See C.R.S. § 19-4-107 for more information.

* You should file your paperwork in the county where the child or the person who you thought was the father lives or is found, or in any county where public assistance was or is being paid on behalf of the child.

* If the person you thought was the father has died, the paperwork should be filed in any county where a probate case has been or could be filed.

* Your should file you paperwork in district court unless you are filing in Denver County.

* If you are filing your paperwork in Denver County, you will need to go to the Denver Juvenile Court.

*You will be known as the Petitioner and the other person will be known as the Respondent.

Download and complete the following forms:
* JDF 1000 Case Information Sheet,
* JDF 1514 Petition to Disclaim Paternity,
* JDF 1515 Summons to Disclaim Paternity, and
* JDF 1516 Final Order for Paternity

For detailed instructions on how to fill out these forms, review JDF 1513 Instructions to Disclaim Paternity.

* You will need to sign JDF 1514 Petition to Disclaim Paternity in front of a notary public or court clerk. You can find a local notary public by looking in the Yellow Pages, on the Internent or by going to your local bank.

* Fill out only the top ("caption") part of JDF 1515 Summons to Disclaim Paternity and JDF 1516 Final Order for Paternity and the court will fill out the rest. You DO NOT need to sign these forms.

* Take your completed forms to the clerk at the counter in the courthouse. Give the forms to the clerk to file your case.

* The court will ask you to pay a filing fee. If you do not think you can afford the filing fee, go to the instructions and fill out form JDF 205 Motion to File Without Payment and Supporting Financial Affidavit and  the caption box of JDF 206 Finding and Order Concerning Payment of Fees to request a waiver of the filing fee.

* The clerk might ask you to complete additional forms. Please follow the clerk's instructions.

* After you file your forms with the court, you must arrange to deliver JDF 1514 Petition to Disclaim Paternity and JDF 1515 Summons to Disclaim Paternity to the other person (the Respondent). The process of arranging to have these forms delivered to the other person is known as personal service.

* The clerk will provide you with a signed copy of JDF 1515 Summons to Disclaim Paternity to be served on the other person.

* Refer to the step-by-step instructions on how to arrange for personal service on the other person and how to return proof of service to the court.

* You can ask for genetic testing to show that the person you thought was the father is not the actual father.

* If you and the other person agree on genetic testing, ask the court for genetic testing using JDF 1506 Agreement for Genetic Testing.  Follow the instructions below in Option A to fill out the Agreement.

OPTION A - Fill out an Agreement for genetic testing:

* Download and complete JDF 1506 Agreement for Genetic Testing.  You and the other person will both sign this form in front of a notary public or court clerk.  You do not need to do this at the same time (Eg: you can sign in front of a notary or court clerk, give the form to the other person and have him/her sign in front of a notary or court clerk at a later time).  You can find a local notary public by looking in the Yellow Pages, on the Internet or by going to your local bank.

* You and the other person will need to contact a testing agency to schedule a date and time for the test. Put the date and time of the test of the form.

* You and the other person will be responsible for paying the fee for the test.

* If you and the other person do not agree on genetic testing, ask the court for genetic testing using JDF 1505 Motion of Genetic Testing.  Follow the instructions below in Option B to fill out the Motion.

OPTION B - Fill out a Motion for genetic testing:

* Download and complete JDF 1505 Motion of Genetic Testing.  You will sign the form, but the other person does not need to sign.

* You will need to contact a testing agency to schedule a date and time for the test.  Put the date and time of the test of the form.

* You will be responsible for paying the fee for the test.

* You will need to mail or hand-deliver a copy of JDF 1505 Motion of Genetic Testing to the other person.  After you mail or hand-deliver a copy of the form, fill out the Certificate of Service part of the form and then file it with the court.

* Decide whether or not you agree with the information in the paperwork.

* The location and contact information of the court is on the top of the paperwork you received.

* Give your paperwork to the same court that is listed on the paperwork you received.

* Download and complete Form JDF 1315 Response.

* You will be the Respondent and the other person will be the Petitioner.

* The case number is on the top of the paperwork you received.

* You will need to mail or hand-deliver a copy of JDF 1315 Response to the other person. After you mail or hand-deliver the Response, complete the Certificate of Service part of the form before filing the form with the court.

* You can ask for genetic testing to be done to determine whether you are the father.

* If you and the other person agree on genetic testing, ask the court for genetic testing using JDF 1506 Agreement for Genetic Testing.  Follow the instructions below in Option A to fill out the Agreement.

OPTION A - Fill out an Agreement for genetic testing:

* Download and complete JDF 1506 Agreement for Genetic Testing.  You and the other person will both sign this form in front of a notary public or court clerk. You do not need to do this at the same time (Eg: you can sign in front of a notary or court clerk, give the form to the other person and have him/her sign in front of a notary or court clerk at a later time). You can find a local notary public by looking in the Yellow Pages, on the Internet or by going to your local bank.

* You and the other person will need to contact a testing agency to schedule a date and time for the test. Put the date and time of the test of the form.

* You and the other person will be responsible for paying the fee for the test.

* If you and the other person do not agree on genetic testing, ask the court for genetic testing using JDF 1505 Motion of Genetic Testing. Follow the instructions below in Option B to fill out the Motion.

OPTION B - Fill out a Motion for genetic testing:

* Download and complete JDF 1505 Motion of Genetic Testing.  You will sign the form, but the other person does not need to sign.

* Contact a testing agency to schedule a date and time for the test.  Put the date and time of the test of the form.

* You will be responsible for paying the fee for the test.

* You will need to mail or hand-deliver a copy of JDF 1505 Motion of Genetic Testing to the other person.  After you mail or hand-deliver a copy of the form, fill out the Certificate of Service part of the form and then file it with the court.