If a party requests paternity testing in the initial stage of a custody proceeding, the court will order testing. If you have doubts about paternity, do something about it before it is too late.
1
If you question paternity you should have paternity testing.
If you question whether or not you are the father of a child, you should consider asking the court to order paternity testing before stipulating or admitting to the court that you are the father. Note, however, if paternity results will not matter to you and you expect to never question or care about biological paternity in the future, then paternity testing may not be for you.
2
Paternity test requests often cause short term problems like halted parenting time.
After you request paternity testing, the mother may refuse to allow you to see the child. Be prepared for this and try to amicably work out a temporary parenting schedule while test results and court orders are pending. You should work to get the testing process started and completed as soon as possible, ideally before the initial status conference or shortly thereafter so that you can either advise the court of the results or seek court assistance if you need it.
3
Anger on the part of mother does not mean that you are the father.
Often times a request for paternity testing is considered to be an insult to the mother, angering her and sometimes her family. The outrage of mother and/or her family does not mean that you are the biological father. Paternity is not measured by degrees of protest, but by DNA and if paternity matters, you should request a paternity test.
4
Before you admit paternity to the court, you had better be sure.
Once you admit paternity to the court, you may be legally stuck later even if you learn you are not the biological Dad. In most instances, a legal finding of paternity may be challenged in court only in the case of fraud, duress, or mistake of material fact, with you, the challenger having the burden of proof. Make informed choices and request paternity testing if it matters.
