After Receiving your Paternity Results - A Course of Action

If the paternity results are negative, then the subject of the paternity test usually is not obligated to support the child. This may be contested by the mother. If you were married at the time, it was likely assumed that you were the father, and you had to go through the procedure to obtain the paternity results yourself. In this case, a court will likely dictate that you are not the father, and are under no further financial obligation to mother or child. This is generally taken care of during divorce procedures. If the paternity results are negative, and you wish to adopt the child, you must sign an “acknowledgment of paternity.”

If the paternity results came back positive: You generally have 60 days to contest the paternity results. A DNA test of paternity can be up to 99.99999% accurate. There are some circumstances however where the paternity results may be questioned. A child’s DNA is made up of 23 chromosomes from the father, and 23 chromosomes from the mother. If the mother was not the subject of a DNA test, then it becomes more difficult to eliminate that half of the DNA that contributed to the child, potentially leaving the paternity results in question. Also,different DNA testing facilities test varying numbers of chromosomes to determine the father’s identity. Some testing facilities use as few as five chromosomes. If this was the case and you contest the results, you will probably be required to take another DNA test. Generally using fifteen or more chromosomes ensures a degree of accuracy that cannot be contested. If your paternity results came from a comparison of fifteen or more chromosomes, the court requires substantial evidence that the paternity results are false.

Child Support: Generally, parents are required by law to support their children until the age of eighteen or until the age of nineteen if the child is still in high school. Each State has its own laws for child support payments and there are different methods of ensuring child support is paid per any court order, up to and including criminal action in many States. Regardless of the State where the father resides, child support laws where the child resides has precedence. Be sure to become familiar with the laws in the State where the child resides.  Following positive paternity results, if the mother pursues child support payments, the amount to be paid will be determined by a judge. The amount is usually a percent of the father’s monthly income. The amount of child support varies case by case. It is most common that if child support is routinely delinquent, wages will be taken directly from the father’s paycheck. The mother has the right at any time to request more money from the father, and this also will be determined in court.

Following the paternity results, there are many courses of action which may be pursued,from legal adoption, to contesting the paternity results, to child support payments. Be sure to become familiar with the laws in the State the child resides. Information is easily found online. Be sure you are checking official sites; these generally end in dot gov.