Paternity test – things to know

There are times when the need to determine who the biological father of a child is, arise. In cases as I'll detail below, one can go to the court and request an order for a paternity test which will prove who the biological father is.In this short article I'll explain a bit about this subject and what the consequences of it are.

What is tested in a paternity test?

Technology nowadays has the means to prove, beyond reasonable doubt, if a subject is the father of a specific child. The test is not invasive. A simple blood test is done, the blood is checked to determine its type as well as other molecular genetic aspects. The blood test is done in clinics authorized by the state. Anyone who is connected to the matter can ask to be present while the blood test is done. The result will show, in a relatively short time, who the biological father is.

When does one have the test?

The need to perform a paternity test could arise when –

• A man wants to know for certain that the child is his.

• An unmarried mother who wants to know for certain who the biological father of her child is.

• A man who impregnated a married woman and needs to know if the child is his.

There could be many different other reasons for performing a paternity test.

Are there case where is it obligatory to have a paternity test?

When the need for a paternity test arises one must go to the court to claim for it. The judge will issue a warrant and the father has to obey and have the test done. Objection to having the test done is not looked on nicely with the judges, who could charge the father for contempt of court and enforce the test. Not having the test done could amount to going to jail.

What are the implication of the test?

There are many implications of the discovery or the denial of identity of the biological father. The man who has just discovered that he is a father, becomes immediately, a guardian/custodian of the child and has the right to make decisions regarding his/her education, to have visitation rights etc. At the same time, he has duties such as payment of alimony to the child's mother. The child is entitled to inherit the father's assets after his death. Discovering who the biological father is could cause a claim for divorce, if a father discovers that the child he thought was his, is not.  The mother might lose many benefits such as her right to receive alimony or the money written in her Ktuba.