Statistics show that up to 30% of children have a different father than the one listed on their birth certificate (Bellis). Numbers like these that have been worrying families everywhere, especially fathers in recent years, calling for legislation to stop parents from committing paternity fraud.
What is paternity fraud?
Paternity fraud occurs when a mother or father deliberately and falsely claim a man is (or isn’t) the child’s biological father. Usually, false claims are made in hopes of collecting or avoiding child support payments, but it isn’t the only reason men and women have for committing paternity fraud. Sometimes mothers only suspect a man is not the father and would rather hold their family together than expose any infidelities or discourage a man from continuing to be her child’s primary male role model. And sometimes, men may tamper with DNA tests in order to avoid familial or financial responsibility.
According to research featured in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, rates for incidents of paternity fraud range anywhere between 0.8% to 30%, with a median of 3.7%, across the world (Bellis). While this number is relatively small, it does, in fact, happen and can have serious consequences and life long effects on not only the well-being of an individual child, but also the whole family.
No matter the reason for lying about a child’s biological father, it is considered as a form of fraud and can be brought into a court of law. In some states, as well as the entire United Kingdom, it can be charged as a criminal offense.
Activists propose mandatory paternity tests
To prevent women from committing paternity fraud, some people-primarily men’s rights activists-propose mandatory DNA testing at the moment a child is born. While a birth certificate is completed when a child is born, activists believe paternity testing should be required before a man can be listed as the father. Activists say such requirements would prevent the mother from lying, not only to the man, but also to her child.
Of course many women, too, have spoken out in favor of mandatory DNA tests to prevent men from committing paternity fraud. Sometimes, men attempt to cheat on DNA tests by submitting swabs from animals or a friend to ensure negative results. However, these attempts are detected in laboratories, and these fraudulent behaviors result in unnecessary costs for additional recollections and testing.
Due to the number of paternity fraud cases presented in court, new laws have been instituted to protect parental rights. Attempts have been made to include mandatory paternity tests as one of these new laws, but none have been passed.
Research confirms public-health consequences of paternity fraud, such as family breakup and violence (Bellis). Additionally, if paternity is left unverified, it leaves in question the child’s genetics, which could affect future medical treatment.
A case against mandatory paternity tests
While most people agree that no one should purposefully deceive a father, mother, or child who may have paternity questions, the shocking proposal to require mandatory paternity tests at birth has, generally, not been well-received by women.
Some women argue that mandatory DNA tests unfairly punish mothers who believe a man is, in fact, the biological father, and would ‘legitimize harmful suspicious attitudes of men during pregnancy’ (Hanson).
There is also the concern that DNA test results may not be accurate, or perhaps their child is one of the rare cases in which one person is born with two sets of DNA (also known as chimerism). Other cases have reported paternity discrepancies because of medical mistakes, such as ‘mix-ups of semen during artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization’ (Bellis).
That being said, many women say they would have no problem with a mandatory DNA test if their husband requested it and they do not see it as an act of distrust (Dean).
You can take a paternity test at any time
As this controversial debate continues, it is worth noting if there are any doubts about paternity, you can take a DNA test at any time, regardless of the child’s age. DNA tests are highly accurate and can help you establish paternity. A home DNA paternity test works well when there is an accepted level trust among the mother, father, and child and no concerns about possible paternity fraud. A legal paternity test, which requires an independent third-party to witness the sample collection, makes paternity fraud nearly impossible. If there’s any doubt about participants behaving honestly, legal paternity testing is probably the best choice.
What are your thoughts?
Do you think paternity tests at birth should be mandatory? Why or why not? Share in the comments below!
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Sources
Bellis, Mark A., Karen Hughes, Sara Hughes, and John R. Ashton. “Measuring Paternal Discrepancy and Its Public Health Consequences.”Jech.bmj.com. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 22 June 2005. Web. 07 May 2015.
Dean, Brooke. “You Are NOT The Father! Should Mandatory Paternity Testing At Birth Be The New “Norm?”” MadameNoire RSS. N.p., 22 Dec. 2013. Web. 18 May 2015.
Hanson, Robin. “Require Baby Paternity Test.” Overcoming Bias. N.p., 22 Nov. 2009. Web. 07 May 2015.
Ewan Kennedy says
It’s not very hard to see the motives behind the women who might make this argument (mentioned in the article) ” … unfairly punish mothers who believe a man is, in fact, the biological father, and would “legitimize harmful suspicious attitudes of men during pregnancy†(Hanson).
If DNA tests were mandatory, then:
(i) the element of suspicion disappears because it would not be the men who are electing for the test and
(ii) women who know that the ‘named’ Dad is the father have nothing to fear.
If any woman says she “believes or believed he was the father”, she must surely be automatically culpable by inference. She should be 100% certain because if she isn’t then she must have slept with more than one man around the time of conception and in which case she has a duty to both men to tell them the truth about the doubt about paternity.
However shocking and sad compulsory DNA testing might sound, I believe it’s the only solution. It’s fair, accessible and in the best interests of the children, whilst protecting the interests of men against deceitful women.
The biggest obstacle, apart from deceitful women, is likely to be the state who would end up picking up some additional child support costs if fewer men are defrauded as a result of the truth emerging.
weaselina says
I think the only reason the state does not impose mandatory testing is because they don’t want to pick up the tab for single mothers.
I am a feminist who believes men get shafted on paternity issues all the time.
Conversely, I believe abortion should be safe, legal, and always a woman’s choice. That is her choice to make.
But regarding mandatory paternity testing, I think it would be a really good thing.
There is no case for allowing women to hide paternity. It is a criminal act. No man should be tricked or forced to raise a child that is not his.
Lee says
Mother’s should be held accountable for their actions. Especially when she purposely sabotages a child’s true identity.
Ronda says
I’d like to see something done or said about FATHER’S sabataging a child’s identity and failing to provide support. My former spouse whom I mentioned on a military base after my Honorably discharged from the US Army ( As I am a US born Citizen) and he was active duty lied about his mariatal status, lied on our marriage license, our child’s birth certificate and they were accepted into the Army’s DEERS systems and ID cards were issued, he abucted childeren from that marriage and they were returned to AK after he moved jurisdiction to base where he previous filed for divorce but it was not granted , He had DV
convictions and multiple DUIs going back to 93
dean says
i totally agree that the state NEEDS to conduct paternity tests for ALL newborns,and with the sample held in a database for evidence against biological fathers to make them pay for their illegitimate children. which would help deter their unethical behavior along with that of the wife.
arguments against this are based on the view that the husband has little or no property rights nor the right to the truth or that keeping families together with lies and treachery is somehow moral.
the child has a right to know the truth and so does the husband.
the state has no right to intervene to save badly flawed marriages or shield women from the consequence of their actions while already making faithful husbands bear the financial brunt in child custody and alimony battles in cases where the divorce is caused by the wife’s infidelity.
i agree with the argument that many women entering into marriage will be deterred from infidelity in the first place with each child tested at birth.
Kimberley Bukstein says
As a Civil Rights Advocate I’ve all over this issue for years. The main problem flows from the County’s, who when a woman applys for wavered services, she is forced to name a “father” but there is only space for one name. To get the benefit she has to fill out the form with a name of whom she thinks is the father. Let’s face it, as single women of a certain age we may have more than one man. Moral sensibilities aside, it happens. Now it comes down to the month the child was convinced…but there is only one space for one name. The woman has to fill in a name, to get – for example food stamps. She writes down a name. In many cases I’ve seen Child support enforcement burn the results of the genetic tests, and the dad was not ever given a copy and cannot get them. The alleged dad needs to be given a copy of the results, and education about what it means. If results come back 99% genetic match, its safe to assume he’s the dad, but below that, such as 60% courts need to look further. The real paternity fraud is on the part of the County, which goes unaddressed because it is easy, and because no one asks. It happens everywhere, but there are checks and balances we can use. It comes down to this, we have the technology and men need to know their rights. If hes the dad, hes the dad, if it is not definitive then look further. ALSO if the man has acted as that child’s father, even if that child turns out to not his genetic offspring he is still “dad” in that child’s eyes and he has rights to part of that child’s life. Maybe the best solution is to stop fighting for custody and child support and see human nature as it truly is, and learn to share.
dean says
what also needs to be said is that some fathers may actually litigate to KEEP that child and just divorce the mother. this particularly applies if he’s raised the kid well but the wife was unstable/unsuitable for motherhood-a factor in many cases where the wife cheats.
the state needs to stop enabling irresponsible behavior.
gabriel says
you speak out of words, live thru what my family is living thru then make that statement
488 SUPPORTERS
5,000 GOAL
My name is Gabriel from Texas, and in 2002 I was supposedly served papers for child support in March. To be clear this girl and I were not dating or an item, we probably saw each other twice in 1998. So, since in the state of Texas it is not required to sign a service, the state cannot provide me a signature proving I was served…so now it’s my word against an officer which are known for leaving papers with anybody without asking for proper identification or even being you. The address they had listed for me was not even my address and I never received anything!!! Then since I was already served it makes perfect sense for the state to serve me again in August when I was working in Puerto Rico and I can prove it!!! Basically I was never served!!! So after all of that, some judge decided I was the dad in 2002 by default without my DNA or me being present. There goes the right to a fair trial and also the right to defend myself. If that doesn’t sound like a violation on my rights then what does? Fast forward to 2016, I was served for the first time, and I contacted the mother with open arms. We took a paternity test and I am 0% the father. She pretended to be sorry even apologized for it and said she was ready to sign to end this madness, but a week later she hired an attorney to fight and to make me pay! She said that she knew I was NOT the father, but there was a judge order and the money has to be paid to them……..the humanity, and whats sad is the law protects this heartless, godless person!!! I have spent a lot of money in attorney fees and now I am contemplating paying 64k for a Daughter that’s NOT EVEN MINE!!! Wow, sounds like a nightmare right, well it’s not, it’s a fact and the law not only allows it, but ignores the crime being committed! Now this is true justice!
Innocent Men and their families suffer when they are named off by a dishonest, opportunistic woman to obtain welfare services for their children fraudulently, while the state knowing the DNA result not being the father still allows and enforces this unfair burden on innocent men. Is this even possible? Is this even real? Yes it is, in fact there are too many cases on all levels for this type of action on behalf of the perpetrator. It goes against the constitutional values of the United States and against honest working, tax paying citizens of the United States when a person tricks the system for selfish gain. Please read the petition, which contains the remedy towards the culprits who plan to use Paternity Fraud to their own personal gain. They just name a father off which also goes against the best interest of the child at hand to not know who their REAL father is! This petition calls all States, all Courts, and all people to consider this rising issue, which now has fallen in the demand to be dealt with. We are petitioning the lawmakers themselves and everyone of them at this time. To stop letting women take advantage of not paternal men that have no fault of their actions. Paternity Fraud is a woman’s way of taking advantage of a non paternal man using and abusing a broken legal system forcing innocent men biologically not tied to their child at all to pay huge amounts of money with the threat of jail time. This is incredible! It is also Felony Fraud at its finest! It is said that Paternity Fraud is the perfect crime, its legal robbery and the perpetrator cannot get in trouble for it! Courts not seeing the damage that a single person causes an entire family with no ties to them. There are no words for this injustice and for the women using this as an opportunity to gain without caring about the damage on other families.
We need to hold them accountable for their illegal actions in the United States. Any system that allows a thief to walk into your house and take from your children without any punishment is a broken system! We all know that the child support system is the most prejudiced and discriminatory system put in place. We need to show the meaning of the word RIGHTS. Rights also pertain to a man’s personal dignity, well being, his right to pursue happiness, his right to reach for dreams, the right to a fair trial. Well, guess what, it is time that Paternity Fraud became a law, a Criminal Law that any woman caught is to be punished. Just because a child is involved, does not mean that women have the right to hold a child over one’s head. This is NOT a sexist cause, as some will try and claim, but rather, this is about being a person they demand you be productive, then take away the tools of your productivity, this is wrong! Men who are innocent should not suffer in the hands of women who are dishonest!
This epidemic has led to thousands upon millions of unjustly arrested men who seek nothing more than to live a good life, to seek their goals and aspirations. Paternity Fraud stomps on the constitution, in fact, it goes arbitrarily to the constitution, its time something be done. This epidemic, this scam, this fraud by deviant women, has come to a bursting point in this nation, and its time something that counts be done. Please sign the petition today. This is not a cry out for support for man, this is a cry out for support from people with human values and morals to stop these heartless people from hurting any more families and put a end to this madness. Together we can!
I am a father of three with no way to fight back the system and the horrible person not caring about the damage she is causing to my family!
I see a cause in this, I am prepared to go to jail for however long I must, but people like this must not be allowed to ruin lives anymore and if the state of Texas feels it’s right to separate a good, loving husband from his family to serve the evil purpose of this person, then god is my judge and I fear no amount of time. I know in my heart I’ve done no wrong and stand by it. God is my shepherd and I will fear no evil. This much I promise, people will know the injustice being done and we will bring light to this broken system and the shameless people feeding of it with protection and rights.
ENOUGH ABUSE
I am not stopping till I get to a national level. We are humans not animals, our voices will not be silenced!
Sincerely yours,
Gabriel
enoughabuse.net
Identigene says
Gabriel, thank you for contributing so eloquently to the conversation. Because it is against the rules of this site to include identifying information, I have removed your last name as well as the live link from your comment. Otherwise, I would have not been able to let your comment go live. Thanks for understanding!
Ja'Net says
It’s sad how evil women can be to run a child’s life by not telling the truth about father’s paternity. The should be punished just as much as the law would punish a man that is ordered to pay child support. I am a woman but I feel it is humanly unethical to keep letting women commit this crime and keep getting away with it. I came up with that idea in daily conversation that a DNA test should be ordered at the time of birth. I mean they test for everything else so why not make our men feel comfortable that they are or not. It’s not fair that a woman knows without a shadow of a doubt that it’s their child unless there was a mix up at the hospital but a man don’t have that same fairness.
Jerry says
I discovered my wife was having an affair for over a year. I knew something was wrong by her behavior yet she shut down communication so i began seeing a counselor. My counselor stated my wife may be having affair by her actions sure enough I gained access to her computer and seen everything. She multiple times was concerned about being pregnant with his child. I began to question everything about our marriage and the validity of my children being mine. I paid $300.00 dollars home kit 4 swabs from me and 4 swabs from both children sent to Lab had results 2 weeks. Thank God both children mine!!
My wife when asked about the possibility of pregnant during affair what she would have done. “Nothing the child would be yours”. Mandatory DNA i vote yes!!
Erin says
I’d feel pretty insulted if someone demanded a paternity test. I’ve never cheated before, and I’d certainly end the relationship if it was demanded as I’d find it to be an insult to my character. I know it would turn up with the guy as the father, but I don’t think I’d ever get over the insult.
ARB says
Mandatory paternity testing, like male birth control (Vasalgel , RISUG, etc), will always be strongly opposed by Feminists, because it shifts the balance of power from women to men. Also, states who don’t want tax payers to pay for welfare/government assistance, have way too much to loose, if men had more control in paternity cases. A child has the right to know who their father is, and that is TRULY what is in the best interest of the child.
The key word here is CONTROL. This is why so many men are opting out of marriage and kids/family, because for the last 30-40 years, men have little or nothing to gain vs the cost they have to pay.
See says
No court or judge should be allowed to assume what is best for the child. The evidence should be enough to ractify the sitaution effective immediately regardless of how backed up the system is. For the court or judge to decide what is best for the child is purely speculation and a theory of what’s right or wrong. In the long run, both the nonbiological dad and child is hurt while the mother runs scott free.
Brob says
It’s obvious to me that this is the only solution to a more widespread problem than anyone cares to admit. Sure, there are those who oppose it but they are the ones who think after marriage the man is simply the pawn who holds the purse, carries the diaper bag, cuts the grass, does the honey do list, and then shuts up and sits in the corner until he is told to do something. Not only do I think it should be mandatory, but I also think if marriage is involved that the woman should be held criminally liable with prison time as an option.
If a man doesn’t pay child support, he can be held criminally liable, his wages can be garnished, and he is looked down upon by the public. So, if a woman wrongfully deceives a man into putting his time, resources, effort, love, care, emotions, and support into a child that is not his, then why should she not face justice as well?
This would be a fantastic idea and I see absolutely no reason why it should boot be implemented from sea to shining sea.
Lena says
The way men and children are being allowed to be victimized by paternity fraud is just sickening. If the women committing the fraud had consqeuences such as jail time tthen maybe they wouldn’t do it. I am all for paternity testing infants at birth as well as criminal charges for women that committ such fraud!
Betrayed says
I found out about a year ago that the man I have called ‘dad’ all my life is not my biological father.
I am a woman in my 50s. My “mother” lied to him, passed me off as his child, divorced him when I was a teen, and decades later died, taking the truth to her grave. I can only assume that she also lied, by omission, to my biological father -who I will never know the name of, will never have the opportunity to have any kind of relationship with. The trauma experienced in the wake of her unconscionably self-serving betrayal is impossible to accurately communicate. Her abborent choice to shelter herself from consequences associated with questioned paternity -as a result of her consenting to intercourse with more than one man in a single fertility cycle-has done irreparable damage to my life. There is very very rarely a valid reason to betray the trust of your child, lie to your husband/partner, and/or the actual, bio father.
She was maternally and morally charged to inform me, at a reasonable age, of the truth. It was my birthright. It is evrry individual’s birthright to know who their bio parents are.
Women know when they have had sex with more than one man in the same fertility cycle. The vastest majority of women commit paternity fraud in order to protect ‘themselves’ from what they anticipate will be judgment, as well as difficult consequences and complications associated with giving birth to a child in questioned paternity, or is certain the man she is married to, or partnered with, is not the bio father.
Mandatory paternity testing would mitigate the far-reaching, unimaginable damage to the lives of others, like me, whose narcississism-prone mother’s lack the normal, maternalistic principle of ‘my child’s wellbeing is always first’.
lilyput says
yes it is your RIGHT! it was you’re birthright to know the truth. I wonder how people justify lying about a child’s parent. I wish you well, hope you find some peace. you deserve some :)
this kind of damage can never be justified in any way. I feel you’re pain.
hugs, lilyput
dean says
i’m so sorry, Betrayed,about your mother’s inconsideration for her own children and husband.
i usually dwell more on why single attractive women go after married men with zero concern about breaking up a home.
as a life long (so far)bachelor who always dreamed one day of marriage to an attractive low mileage women, i’ve always felt infuriated that so many attractive single girls basically ignore single males such as myself who seek committed relationship and yet they steal another woman’s husband.
it seems like half the below 30 single female population purposefully AVOID the decent single guys seeking monogamous loving relationship so they can just have sex dates with as many bad guys as possible. There’s a good portion of an entire generation of mr joe average who never found a decent marriable girl and have given up on the american dream of the nuclear family and a career job, turning instead to substance abuse, drinking and porn to numb the disappointment.
John Dorian says
The only way it cant be an act of distrust is IF it is mandatory. To say that it should be mandatory only if the father asks…. i mean how do you ask with out saying “hey i dont trust you so….” atleast if it’s mandatory the rules are to blame not the man and woman.
Leslie says
My husband is dealing with the same issue from his ex wife. Since they divorced she has kept one the children away from him. He had wondered why the oldest and not the youngest. Well the last visit with the child which she was 13 at the time; she stated he was not her father . Her mother told her this information . She has not been back to our home since. My husband began questioning if this information is fact or spoken out of anger. So we did some digging and hired an attorney. Unfortunately we are still waiting to get into court to disestablish the paternity but we have found out who her father is while waiting… this has been a horrible emotional roller coaster. No man should have to go through this. Why does the law side with these mothers ? We can’t sue her for wrongful paternity in our state of Florida but we can disestablish the paternity and child support will have to be imposed on the bio father…. the only person who walks away unscathed in the situation is the mother ! Really? What kind of laws are we imposing? Or allowing? This is horrible and immoral on all levels!
Bamboozled in CA says
I’m in CA and we just found out my 21yr old daughter is not my biological child.
I am completely devastated not to mention locked into a financial obligation that is not truly mine. I have lost jobs, had liscense suspension,passport denied, I even had to obtain a restraining order at one time against this evil money grubbing women and no one can help me, she got on public assistance and I’m stuck with the bill! Mandatory DNA test before your name can be entered on birth certificate sign me up I’m 100% in favor!! The state should be ashamed making pay this knowingly fraudulent debt, that did I mention is back pay and the interest rate is worse then that of loan sharks!! This nightmare is getting worse every day
Eckersley says
A Shocking Proposal to Stop Paternity Fraud
The title of the article shows your biase against males.
What’s *SHOCKING* about the proposal?
Are genotype test to minimize incidences of SS children not near compulsory?
Is anything SHOCKING about them?
So the paternity tests are now shocking cos they concern male rights?
Identigene says
As a top paternity-testing lab, we value both our male and female customers equally. What’s “shocking” about this proposal is that it would be a mandated test, which is a highly unusual practice in our free American culture.
lilyput says
WOW! it just breaks my heart that fathers are treated this way. I am a grandmother! my son is a father, but his girlfriend lied to the courts in Baldwin county AL (after parenting his son for 2.5 years) stating that he had no father, without going before a real judge. She was able to sign an affidavit that the child had no father (lied about his race) and had her sister assume custody in another state. she has signed over 2 of her children and lost custody of her 1st child as of this date. 3 years later, this grandchild’s grandparents have heartbreak and sorrow. How can courts assume that “mothers” (I use that term lightly), have all the rights. The public wonders whats wrong with the kids today…. we have deceitful mothers, given the benefit of the doubt, judges who think they are GOD and lawyers who only care about money. A lawyer was given this information and did not use it!
Phil says
As it stands today, women have ALL the options and rights when it comes to parenthood:
1-The unilateral right to abort the pregnancy.
2-The unilateral right to give the child up for adoption.
3-The unilateral right to abandon the child at a “safe haven”, e.g. hospital, fire station, etc.
4-The unilateral right to keep the child.
lilyput says
and also, FRAUD IS FRAUD… it is against the law.
M.T. says
I don’t see anything shocking about the proposal. I believe such a law is long overdue. Any woman who only “believes” a given man fathered her child needs to own up to the truth of being uncertain, anyway. Because relationships aren’t stable under deception. Women who KNOW which man fathered their child wouldn’t be concerned about the testing , as they have nothing to hide. I don’t know why the article assumes that most women would object to mandatory testing? I wouldn’t. But I was never asked. I’m reading of those fathers who paid for children they didn’t pro-create. What of those fathers who never got to bond with their child because another man knowingly and wrongfully signed an affidavit of paternity for the child- only to loose the child to the state later? Call me grieving grandma.
Brittany says
Take a blood test! No one is safe anymore,
Brittany says
I’m having a dilemma, when I was 11 or 12 years old my mom had a paternity test done on my father who was in federal prison, it was done by DCF which means she needed assistance etc, and he would have to pay back pay to us for child suppport. the test came back (not my father) results but she it so positive that he’s my father, even told me they had plans on conceiving me stories we even look alike the father and I, is it possible the test can be tampered with in prison? I was told by many people that guys in prison do it all the time they put toothpaste in there mouth even exchange saliva to get out of paying child support. I was shocked! because now I’m 25 he is out and coming around being my father duties etc, like nothing has happened (he was released when I was 13, btw) my mom been telling me for years she want me to get a blood test done, but Ive been so upset and hurt by him that I can’t imagine what would happen if my mom was right all this time, that he put me and my family through this to get out of paying back pay of child’s support!!!! Men are getting away with stuff like this it’s better to take a blood test to be on the safe side.
Identigene says
Hi, Brittany. Sounds like you’ve sure been through a rough situation. If the test in the prison was a legal test (so that results can be court-admissible for child support), then that means a third-party witness supervised all parts of the test and no “swapping” was able to be done. Putting toothpaste in the mouth doesn’t change the results of a DNA test…it could just potentially make for a contaminated sample. If a sample is contaminated, no report is issued and the lab asks for a new sample. If it would bring you peace of mind, you may want to insist that he do another test. What you need is for the DNA collection to be witnessed, to ensure that no fraud can take place. Whether it’s a blood test, or a cheek-swab test, it’s all the same DNA. You can learn more about it here: https://dnatesting.com/legal-dna-testing/
Ed Wright says
I think that we should have a nationwide survey and when the results are found out then we should march from sea to shining sea, Write the politicians who are writing the laws that are allowing this to happen, maybe they create this law to hide some of the backroom deals that they were doing.
Ari says
So, what do we do to get the law changed? Testing should be mandatory at birth. No man should be forced to support a child that is not his unknowingly….and he definitely shouldn’t have to make that choice after loving that child for years only to find out it was all a lie. Is anyone effectively looking to make changes to law?
Toni says
I am trying to find help my son dated a girl that wanted a baby they agreed to wait she had to because my son wanted get married buy a house then baby so she broke up with him dated someone that had six kids all over then it was she got pregnant the night she came back then the due date changed my son asked and she said nope its yours he had a vasectomy she force him to move in she has the baby then gave him my sons last name then kicked him out filed for child support that day my son went to talk to the worker and wanted a dna test she told him the paper haven been filed he had to wait to be served then tell the person when he serving him that he wanted a dna she couldmt do anything until then so he wait one year 5 days on a Wednesday court was friday the day that he would be in disney land on a make a wish for his special needs daughter.he wanted to change to court date the trip had been planned for a long time and the girl knew and the social worker helped her he was told you can ask for dna but it wouldnt make a difference they got what they needed a year so socail worker knew he wasnt the father but they were going to make him pay he pays for two child already 500 for both he was court order to pay 800 for one kid thats not his .and she got back pay until it gets caught up his real kids get nothing because the kid is the youngest .so we found out that the guy didnt have a vasectomy he was having his 7 th kid the only reason my son sighed he believed her so if your mislead you have two year to change it you have to request for the courts to stop child support he has to take his name off but the worker wont tell him what paper she dragging her feet so two years dead line the worker knows he was lied to that my son did a dna snd hes not the father she dont care make him pay for 18 years 178,800.00 for a child that is not his were can he get help worker said a girl has to do what she has to do to get paid.really
Identigene says
Hi, Toni. Your son needs to contact a family-law attorney immediately.
lisa says
I DON’T KNOW MY SON’S FATHER’S LAST NAME…. WE HAD A ONE NIGHT STAND WHICH I’M NOT PROUD OF….HOWEVER HE WAS IN PRISON A FEW TIMES…DOES ANYONE KNOW IF I COULD GET A COURT ORDER TO HAVE MY SON’S DNA RUN THROUGH THE CODIS PRISON DNA SYSTEM TO SEE IF THERE IS A MATCH?? HE WAS IN PRISON IN 1998 1999ish…AND MAYBE MORE TIMES AFTER THAT.. HE WAS IN SOUTH FLORIDA…BROWARD COUNTY…OR DADE COUNTY…OR PALM BEACH COUNTY WOULD BE THE JAILS HE WOULD BE IN WHEN HE WAS THERE BACK IN 1999…MY SON DOESN’T WANT MONEY…. HE JUST WANTS TO MEET HIS FATHER…AND HE ALSO HAS A SISTER BECAUSE ANTHONY HAD A 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER BACK IN 1997…PLEASE LEMME KNOW IF U KNOW ANYTHING….SINCERELY…LISA FROM BOCA RATON FLORIDA
Here is my story of WHY I want to see if I can locate my Son’s Father. My son is 19 years old today, and him NOT knowing who his father is has hurt him in so many aspects of his life:(…He has ALWAYS felt less than because he never had a Dad. He used to cry when he was younger, and He would wonder why all his friends had fathers and he didn’t??!! It was horrible and heart breaking to see him go through that.. and that’s WHY I DESPERATELY HOPE THAT WE CAN DO A DNA TEST THROUGH CODIS… So…please READ my story of what happened and maybe someone knows an answer.. I PRAY EVERY NIGHT THAT WE WILL LOCATE HIS FATHER… I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYER AND I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES SO HERE IS MY STORY…
ON November 21st 1997,(that is the EXACT DATE OF THE NIGHT THIS HAPPENED 11/21/1997…) me and my best friend went to a club in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to celebrate our 21st birthdays. We went to a club called TRIOS {located in Lauderdale}..
We ran into these 2 guys we had met a few times before (at another club a few weeks before) my friend (Melissa) was kinda dating one of the guys and his name was Anthony. However, that night she started flirting with Anthony’s friend named Donnie!! Obviously- things went sour with her and Anthony because she blew him off for his best friend!!!!!
So since she wassnt talking to him I felt bad for him so Anthony and I started to talk and we had a good time!!
However, and..Unfortunately, I drank WAY TOO much Alcohol that night because i was finally legal to drink and i was 21!!! I made a poor choice and got very drunk {if i could go back to that night i would have NEVER of drank that much)
As the night got late they invited us to go back to their friends house which was located somewhere in either Ft Lauderdale or Coral Springs? I cant remember because i was drunk and wasn’t driving. So..When we arrived to their friend’s condo or apartment that is when my friend Melissa told me that she was going to go with Donnie to go get some more beer and liquor..
Well..she left me alone at this strange person’s house whom i barely knew!!!
While i was there (without Melissa) Anthony asked me if i wanted to go up stairs to watch TV.. so i went upstairs with him (like an idiot} and one thing led to another and we ended up having sex. When i realized what i was doing i told him to stop!!! Thankfully i finally got him off of me! I felt humiliated and i felt like i was a piece of garbage because i was so irresponsible that night!!
When my friend came back Anthony left and went home… and my friend Melissa didn’t want to leave because she was “too drunk to drive”.. so the next morning we left and I was too ashamed to tell her what happened.
I had a boyfriend that broke up with me 2 weeks before this incident. He had called me after the sexual encounter with Anthony and i told him what happened… he was definitely NOT happy.. I told him that i could barely remember what happened. So long story short.. a month later i find out that I’m pregnant. We told the Doctor the scenario and they said that My boyfriend had to be the father bcuz i was ovulating when we were intimate. so 9 months later we do a DNA test and waited 2 weeks and it came back negative! He was NOT THE FATHER!!! My whole world fell apart!!
So that meant that Anthony was the father.. I tried to get in touch with Anthony but his best friend Donnie wouldn’t tell me anything UNTIL he spoke to Anthony.. I BEGGED him and he wouldn’t!!
I NEVER heard back from Donnie or Anthony!! I know that Anthony was in prison before because he didn’t pay child support. So My MAIN POINT OF THIS POST IS TO SEE IF MY SON COULD USE HIS DNA AND HAVE THEM RUN IT THROUGH THE BROWARD COUNTY CODIS DNA SYSTEM TO SEE IF HE CAN LOCATE HIS FATHER!!??? DOES ANYONE KNOW? BECAUSE MY SON JUST WANTS TO MEET HIS FATHER….HE WANTS NO MONEY FROM HIM…HE JUST WANTS TO SEE WHO HIS OTHER HALF IS…AND MY SON ALSO HAS A SISTER BECAUSE ANTHONY (TONY) HAD A 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 1997…AND MY SON WANTS TO MEET HER MORE THAN ANYTHING…PLEASE HELP IF U CAN…THANK U….SINCERELY…LISA.
Identigene says
Hi, Lisa. CODIS is not an option for paternity testing unless a crime has been committed. Please contact a family-law attorney in your area to determine what other options you may have, and good luck!
Sarah says
As someone personally affected by paternity fraud, I’d definitely be in favor of mandatory paternity testing before a man can sign a birth certificate. My “adopted” father signed my birth certificate years after I was born. This should have been a huge red flag, but it wasn’t. All he had to was sign an affadavit saying he was my father and my biological father was erased from my life.
My whole family knew, but I was kept in the dark until recently. By then it was too late. My alleged biological father is dead, so I can’t even get a paternity test. Paternal grandparents are deceased as well.
Deon says
Your comments are SpotOn. In the bigger picture these mandatory test will ensure that the child is not harmed , psychologically, by a deceitful mother or father. It will also be very helpful in cases of medical necessity/treatment of illnesses.
D says
I believe they should have this done immediately after the Baby is born. There are many women out there that not of mental stability especially ones that are undiagnosed with Narcissist Personality Syndrome who are known to have one to three or more lovers.
Deon says
I am a tried and true believer of mandatory DNA paternity testing. It will secure with medical proof that father and Child are , IN FACT, father/Child. Additionally it will protect the child in those cases where the need for genetic testing where a child is ill.
Also with the mandatory testing, certain matrimonial/domestic/social service/family court laws must be changed. Those needed changes are in cases of married men who are AUTOMATICALLY deemed the legal father of a child “born within a legal marriage” despite the fact that DNA paternity testing proves the husband NOT to be the child’s father. Ladies & gentlemen, it is a mess out here regarding these paternity fraud cases.
James says
It’s a bad business decision allowing someone to have so much power over you without a judge and legal agreement.
Curious says
Received paternity test results via EMAIL (smh). The email message stated that it is my responsibility to discuss the results with my physician. Why would they state this? In addition, the test was an informational purposes test only, but testers name was stated on the report. Is this legal?
Identigene says
Hi, curious. I don’t know why that lab would recommend that you discuss results with the physician. And it’s the lab’s prerogative whether or not they include participants’ names on the report, and it’s not against the law to do so.
Pamela says
I vote Yes! A mother knows that the child is hers because she carried the child, unfortunately a man doesn’t really know until he see the DNA.
Art says
yes, it should be mandatory at Birth
A man has a right to know if a child is not biologically his, and should not be held responsible for that child he doed not wish to be, if it isn’t
A child has a right to know their actual father
And while one can always undergo voluntary DNA testing, in some states, there’s a time limit, and little enough standard as to what is considered served
This allows a woman to Simply send papers to be served to an incorrect address, wait for enough time to go by, and then have the man tracked down
At this point, because the time limit has passed, the fact that the child is not biologically his does not matter to the state, they will simply demand he pay any way
This is beyond wrong, it is a criminal act, and and one that not only goes unpunished, but is perpetrated with the assistance of the state
Joe User says
In this day and age, it should be done. Not only to verify the father, but also test for known genetic diseases.
The reality is as Ewan Kennedy said:
“If DNA tests were mandatory, then:
(i) the element of suspicion disappears because it would not be the men who are electing for the test and
(ii) women who know that the ‘named’ Dad is the father have nothing to fear.
If any woman says she “believes or believed he was the father”, she must surely be automatically culpable by inference. She should be 100% certain because if she isn’t then she must have slept with more than one man around the time of conception and in which case she has a duty to both men to tell them the truth about the doubt about paternity.”
In short, if you aren’t sleeping around, why do you have a problem with this?
There isn’t one. It would simply be getting documented proof of what you already know.
Today, there are more and more single/unwed mothers. And too many trick men into being fathers through “Default Judgment”. The process goes something like this:
She goes in to file for child support.
SHe claims they used to live together at her address.
Since DHHS/CPS/CCS cannot legally use tax, license, or other records, they have to rely on her being honest, so they mail notices to her address.
She gets the notice, and the summons and she tosses them out. He never sees them, and never knows about the hearing.
Because he failed to appear, he is ordered to pay via default judgment.
This is a common type of fraud that falls in the same realm.
The core law is the ‘270 day’ law – a married woman can list her husband on a birth certificate without his consent or knowledge because it is assumed he is the father. A woman can list anyone for child support even if she never married, but those take a different route (see Default Judgment listed above). She cannot have him named on the BC, but must go through the process, and only in states where privacy laws prevent child welfare services from working with other agency databases does it still work today.
This law comes from an era where not only was there social stigma associated with being an unwed mother so it was already rare, but there was also fault-based divorce and adultery laws were still upeheld. Finding out your wife bore a child that actually isn’t yours was grounds for divorce and a lesser settlement. These all contributed to the liklihood that a husband was the father after the 270th day.
However, today most states are no-fault divorce states, adultery laws have disappeared or no longer get enforced, and its more commonplace to be single and have multiple partners. Even a few of the posts here make that clear.
DNA testing should become a requirement to be named. Add in that we now have 20+ known genetic diseases that can be tested for through DNA testing before birth, plus an additional 50 or so after, it should be done for parental sanity as well.
The way it should work today:
No man can be listed as the father on a Birth Certificate without DNA Verification
If he is NOT the biological father:
– He can opt to CHOOSE to support the child, but is not required to do so. This option does not require identifying the biological father, but can have negative impact to the mother if she does not disclose the real father (i.e. she may have to work community service hours so the state can recoup some of the lost funds – one county in a nearby state does this – requires 1 hour of community service work per month for every $35 collected from child support with no responsible party identified – this was reported to cut down costs dramatically as more biological fathers were identified and made responsible, reducing the burden on taxpayers).
– He can legally ADOPT the child, but this should require a release from the biological father. This means the biological father agrees to waive his rights and responsibilities, and the adoptive father is responsible in the eyes of the state.
The biggest difference here is that if the real father is not identified, there are penalties. Albeit not outright jailtime or fines, many will simply give the real father’s name to avoid the extra hours of ‘work’ to continue getting support.
I personally feel it is wrong to convict an innocent man.
And to force one man to pay another man’s dues is akin to the same thing.