Full question:
If a single woman becomes pregnant and the father could potentially be one of three men and she is not interested in finding out and is not asking for support, does the potential father have any rights to force her into a paternity test so that he can be involved, support, and know his child?
- Category: Paternity
- Date:
- State: National
Answer:
A child born to parents who are not married to each other has the same rights under the law as a child born to parents who are married to each other. For example, the duty of support and right to inherit of a child is the same whether the parents are married or not.
A man alleging to be the father may bring a proceeding to determine paternity. A court may order genetic testing if the man alleging paternity and states facts establishing a reasonable probability of the requisite sexual contact between the individuals. If the child has a presumed father, the paternity action must typically be brought before the child turns 5 years old. Otherwise, if no presumed father exists, it may be filed any time before the child becomes an adult. Then, only the child can file a paternity action after becoming an adult.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.
