The Answer Is It Depends, but Probably if You Don’t Show Up to Court
Video Transcribed: Hi, I’m a child custody attorney for men. I’m here talking about fatherhood and fathers’ rights. We get a lot of questions in here about father’s rights. One of them namely being, can I be ordered to pay child support without a DNA test? And the answer is it depends, but probably if you don’t show up to court.
So in a DHS administrative proceeding, you are required to be noticed of that proceeding before you’re established the father. If you do not appear, and a default order is entered, it could be difficult for you to correct that even if you’re not the father.
And so we advise people, always, always, always to appear to those DHS administrative proceedings and to submit to the genetic test. Because even if you don’t, they could make you dad.
Now it’s also the case that you could default in a district court proceeding. And so if she claims you’re the dad, you don’t show up, no genetic test is conducted. You could still be made dad and have to pay child support, even if it’s not your kid.
And so we always advise people to show up to the district court as well. So you run the risk of being made father even if you don’t have a genetic test if you don’t show up to court.
If you do show up to court, you should be afforded the opportunity to conduct a genetic test and determine within a really, really high probability whether or not you are in fact, the father of that child. If you’ve got any questions about a recent determination of child support or an older one, in which they’ve determined you to be the father without a genetic test, give us a call about your rights. If you are looking for the Best paternity attorney for a man visit dads.law.
