Are You the Father? Sometimes, It Might Not Be Clear
Truth be told, there are certainly some paternity and custody cases where the person thought to be the father may not be the father. There are also cases where a man has raised a kid to be his own later to find out that the child is not his biological child.
Because of situations like this, it causes some fathers to seek a paternity test in court to be sure they are the father. The child’s birth generally adds up to a time period when sexual relations were taking place. But to ease any concerns or doubts, no matter small they may be, they seek to request a formal paternity case in court. From a legal perspective, there is nothing wrong with this, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t stir up emotions during the case.
As an example, the mother in many of these situations can become extremely offended or insulted that a paternity test was even requested in the first place. After all, if they were faithful, they might not like the accusation of you cheating. This can cause hard feelings that oftentimes make a child custody case more controversial, more expensive and less likely to settle cordially.
This doesn’t mean that a paternity test shouldn’t be done when there is a real accusation about who is the father. If there is doubt regarding the real paternity of a child, it’s extremely important to acknowledge it and understand how a paternity case works; then if needed, it’s vital to find strong representation for a paternity case.
But putting situations like this aside, if a man formally requests a paternity test in court in a situation where they really believe they are the father, and the paternity test confirms what they already knew, some practical problems can come into play.
Getting the Court Involved
Beyond the emotions it could bring to the attention of the birth mother, it is also at risk that the family court might conclude that the father is hoping he is not the child’s father to avoid having to father or support the child. While that may or may not be fair, and may not always be the case, one cannot ignore the possibility that a family court could look at it this way.
Whereas there are now companies touting home paternity tests, if you want one that is admissible in court, you generally need to file a motion in court to have one done through a company that is reputable in your jurisdiction and would have the ability to testify in court if need be. It’s important to do your research and find the necessary information on DNA Paternity testing because being unprepared is the worst possible outcome of all.
Multi-State Paternity Attorneys in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska
If you are an unmarried father concerned about the paternity of a child, Stange Law Firm, PC has attorneys who can help. You can call us at 1-855-805-0595 or contact us online.
