When is DNA Paternity Testing Needed to Prove Parentage?

 Posted on March 23, 2022 in Divorce

Families in Illinois are diverse and many different arrangements allow parents to raise their children with love and strength. Although many women have no choice but to be single parents, research consistently suggests that children are more likely to succeed by every measurable outcome when they have a father who is emotionally present and financially involved in ensuring his child has what he or she needs. 

Unfortunately, fathers are not always eager to take financial or emotional responsibility for their children and may be unwilling to voluntarily acknowledge paternity. When this happens, or when there is a question as to whether a man is indeed the biological father of a child, Illinois courts can take measures like DNA paternity testing to ensure that a man is held responsible for the fathering of a child and for contributing to that child’s financial needs. 

How Do DNA Tests Work? 

The most common DNA paternity tests take a simple cheek swab from the mother, the child, and the alleged father, and send these samples to a laboratory for comparison. The lab will compare a particular part of the child’s DNA to the father and mother’s DNA and can estimate parentage with almost 100 percent accuracy. If either parent has questions or doubts about the reliability of a DNA test, they can submit their samples to an independent laboratory at their own expense. DNA tests can also be taken when a mother is pregnant using blood samples taken at a hospital.

When Does a Court Order DNA Testing? 

When parents are unmarried and do not sign a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity (VAP) form, they must take an alternative route to establish paternity. Either parent may not want to sign the VAP for a number of reasons, including when one parent contests the alleged paternity of the child. In cases like this, DNA testing is a safe, painless, reliable method of determining paternity. 

Illinois courts can order a man to submit to a paternity test and have the authority to enact sanctions if he does not comply. Avoiding a court-ordered paternity test will not allow a father to avoid responsibility for a child and could result in serious consequences. 

Establishing paternity has the potential to benefit everyone involved. Once a DNA test establishes paternity, a man can be ordered to pay child support. He can also pursue parental rights, like parenting time and parental responsibilities. The father benefits from having a legal relationship with his child, the mother benefits from the ability to get help raising the child, and the child benefits from having both of her parents participate in her upbringing. 

Meet with a Wheaton Paternity Lawyer

If you are struggling with an uncooperative father to establish paternity, you may want to get help from the experienced team of DuPage County paternity lawyers with The Stogsdill Law Firm, P.C.. We have the experience and legal knowledge necessary to help you explore your options and choose a path that makes sense for you and your family. Call us today at 630-462-9500 to schedule a confidential case review and learn more about how we may be able to help. 

Source: 

https://www2.illinois.gov/hfs/ChildSupport/FormsBrochures/Pages/hfs3282.aspx