Wisconsin Instructions for Paternity Acknowledgement Action is a legal process in which an unwed father can establish legal paternity and parental rights over a child born out of wedlock. This process requires the father to sign a document, known as an Acknowledgement of Paternity form, that identifies him as the biological father of the child. This form is then filed with the Wisconsin Vital Records Office. There are two types of Wisconsin Instructions for Paternity Acknowledgement Action: voluntary and court-ordered. Voluntary acknowledgements of paternity can be completed by both parents before or after the child's birth, while court-ordered acknowledgements require a court order for the father to legally acknowledge paternity. Both types of acknowledgements require the father to sign a form that is then filed with the Vital Records Office.