There are certain moral issues that should be addressed before considering a DNA paternity test.

The mother who is not completely certain as to the father of the child, the desire for child support or custody, financial issues and the need to ensure the best for the child.

It is not news that a paternity test using DNA is now the most popular method of establishing the genetic identity of a particular child and parentage.

After taking samples of DNA from the mother, the child and the presumed father, test results from an accredited testing lab will reveal the likelihood of the man being the true father to an accuracy of 99.7 percent or better.

But what are the most likely reasons for a mother or alleged father in pursuing a legal DNA paternity test?

Child Support Issues

For a man who is uncertain he is the father of the child, he may simply wish to not pay child support unless his genetic relationship with the child is confirmed.

If the mother was suspected of having multiple encounters with other men, then the presumed father is ethically justified in pursuing a paternity test.

Indeed, in most countries he has a legal right to discover the truth.

But the reverse is equally possible in that the man is the true genetic father, seeks acknowledgement and truly desires to help the child in any way possible.

However, the mother may not wish this and may prefer to sever her relationship with him, either financially or in all respects.

With respect to the mother of the child, it may be the case that she is seeking financial support because she knows for certain that he is the father.

Unfortunately, this is not always true and she may not even be certain of paternity, but still seek support possibly because the man is financially stable and can provide for her child.

Even if this is considered morally wrong, should the mother be overly criticized for wanting her child to be brought up in a secure environment?

Child Custody Issues

In most legal cases involving child custody, the mother and alleged father are no longer together and frequently have a dislike for each other.

But because there is a child involved this may become a far more important issue than the feelings they have toward each other.

A mother may seek a genetic paternity test in order to avoid sharing custody of the child. It is also possible that she truly wishes to share custody, but only under certain conditions that are not practical or acceptable unless a court of law dictates it.

The presumed father also has a legal right to pursue a test for paternity in order to secure access to his child.

Although there are some uncaring fathers, the majority of men want to help, in any reasonable way possible.

DNA Sampling for Paternity Test

Rape Cases, DNA Testing and Wrongful Convictions

Prior to the availability and acceptance of DNA test results in the courts of law, it has been the case that some men convicted of rape were truly innocent, and those that were actually responsible, never even suspected.

Many wrongful convictions of rape have been overturned by establishing genetic DNA proof that the assaulter was not the one who fathered the child.

And as a mirror can reflect the truth only for those that wish to see it, a presumably innocent man is actually the one responsible.

Identifying Birth Defects with DNA Testing

A prenatal paternity test can help to determine if the future child will have any negative physical syndromes, but these are invasive prenatal tests that may affect either or both mother and child.

Before even conceiving a child, a couple can undergo DNA testing with a certified testing lab to be sure that there are no errant genes in their shared chromosomes that would negatively affect their child.

Unfortunately, in the past this was too costly, but now with affordable DNA testing, they can know for certain if there could be a problem with their future child.

To summarize, most courts of law recognize the validity of paternity tests, but only if they are conducted by professionals and using accredited DNA testing laboratories.

If a home paternity testing kit was used, it is highly unlikely the courts would acknowledge the results as legitimate.

Only legal DNA paternity test results will be accepted as such in the majority of child support and custody cases.

Also, be aware of the motivation and moral consequences involved in undergoing a paternity test. The test results you discover with a DNA test may not be quite what you expected.

Organ Donor DNA Compatibility

Analyzing and comparing the DNA of an organ donor with that of the recipient is extremely important in order to avoid tissue rejection issues.

A DNA test can compare the donor and target DNA samples to ensure compatibility.

Of course, the most compatible organ donors involve the direct and genetically related family members, regardless of their relationship status. But this raises another specter of difficulty.

Suppose a man believing to be the father of his child discovers that his young son or daughter requires a bone marrow transplant, a blood transfusion or perhaps even a new kidney.

The DNA testing is conducted and the results confirmed with high accuracy.

The DNA lab informs the man that he is not genetically compatible and cannot provide donor tissue because he is not the true father of the child.

This would likely be emotionally devastating to a man that brought up the child assuming it was his. The consequences to the relationship between the mother and the man would likely be difficult, at the very least.

A local paternity case and others like it throughout the country are raising a firestorm of questions and concerns. State legislatures and judges are grappling with questions that go to the heart of what defines being a father.

Pennsylvania says Mike is the father of his child – even though he can prove he’s not the biological father. When his daughter was 2-years-old, Mike found out his wife was having an affair. But his wife told him she would end it, and assured him that their child was his.

However, two years later, he found out that the affair was still going on and he demanded a paternity test. “Got the results back and it was zero percent chance that I could be the biological father,” said Mike.

Mike filed for divorce and after it was granted – his ex-wife remarried. But in the meantime, she sued Mike for child support even though DNA proved that he was not the biological father. He went to court expecting an open and shut case.

He was not the biological father; in fact, the child was now living with her biological father. And yet, to his surprise, Judge David Wecht ruled that Mike had to pay child support – that under state law Mike was in fact the father of the child.

Wecht says what may appear to be an obvious case is less so under state paternity law, which says that when a child is born into an intact marriage the husband in that marriage is presumed to be the father. The law pre-dates DNA testing and Wecht could not consider that evidence.

A close friend of mine has a 12 year old kid who he has been paying child support for since the beginning. He signed the AOP (Acknowledgment Of Paternity) at the beginning. BUT, he now has reason to believe that he isn’t the father.

From the information that he now has, there is a really BIG possibility that he isn’t the father. But he has provided child support, insurance, and the works the whole time. He knows that no matter what, there is still a possibility that he IS the father.

How does he go about getting a paternity test done through court without having to pay the huge price tag that comes along with the test?

Can he buy one of those DNA tests online and use that?

If it turns out that he isn’t the father, what does he have to do to stop the child support and all that?

If it turns out that he isn’t the father, is there any way of suing the mother for all the money he paid towards the child???

PLEASE HELP!!!

Thanks a bunch in advance!
BTW, they live in Texas
No, I’m not a ‘jealous love interest’ or anything like that. This is someone who is pretty much like my brother, come on now!

Secondly, he really has NO relationship with the child, not by choice though. He has tried seeing his son and has tried being there for him all these years. The child’s mother has made it VERY impossible for him to see his son due to the fact that all she cares about is the money (and she admits it).

Yes, he could have gone to court or hired a lawyer to enforce the court order, but hiring a lawyer costs thousands of dollars in TX. He does not have that sort of cash. He is in the military and has been deployed like every other year or so, so does not really get the opportunity to ask for the order to be enforced.

He does care for the child, he’s been there since day one, but he has been through so much and the childs mother has put him through HELL, literally, that at after getting new info, he is ready to find out for sure. Please don’t pass judgement on him.

The baby was born in December. The once thought father signed the birth certificate and took several paternity tests months later saying he was not the father.

This is where I come in. I met this girl once. I went to NJ in August to see the baby and go to court. I wasn’t able to take the test in NJ and told to take it in Colorado a week later. I was told they would contact me.

Over a month has gone by and still no word. I called and they have all my correct information and keep saying they will get to me. The mother does not want any child support.

I’m just wondering if a paternity court order can be dismissed after a certain amount of time. The whole thing seems really shady and I don’t want to get screwed in the end. I’m afraid she will come after me financially years from now. Any advice out there?

Thanks in advance for any help.

First off I have learned my lesson the hard way. I don’t know who my child’s father is. I’m trying to get paternity established because I’m not the only one responsible for the child. I have notified all the “alleged” fathers and all except one is willing to do a paternity test.

The one who refuses to do it is the one the child looks exactly like. I had broke up with him because I found out he was married. I didn’t know I was pregnant at the time. I informed him and the “alleged” fathers that I was pregnant and wanted a paternity test done.

I’ve got all the information on all of them including the married one.The married one got divorced and remarried 30 days after divorce was final. I told him I filed for paternity and child support. He said the child isn’t his.

I have made attempts for him to see the child and he hasn’t been around for the attempts. How should I deal with him if he is the father of my child?
He has two other children 18 and 16 but has little involvement with them.

I have been married for about four years and recently discovered by using a home paternity test that my year and a half old daughter is not actually mine. My wife confessed that she had been with another man at approximately the apparent time of conception.

We have decided to stay married, but I would like the alleged father to take a paternity test to validate this and make sure my daughter knows her real father. But the alleged individual will not take a DNA test willingly.

Can I have the courts decide paternity? And since we are still married, can he be forced to pay child support?

Thank you in advance for any help and advice.

I am being sued for child support from a year past relationship, and was wondering where would I have to go or who do I call to set up a paternity test.

I know I won’t receive any money until the baby is born, but can I go ahead and fill out a application and go to court so that when the baby is born all I have to do is let them know?

Instead of dealing with all those things right after I have this baby (due in 3 months), I would like some advice.

As long as I get the prenatal paternity test done, and it shows that he is the father, I should be able to go ahead and begin with filing for child support.

Is this the right way?

They told me I had to get a lawyer to get me a court date or I would have to file a petition myself.

I don’t have the money for a lawyer so I have to file the petition myself but i don’t know what to put in the petition.

Can you please help me out. I am wanting to get the judge to order a paternity test and I need some information or an example of a petition.

Can anyone help?