Paternity actions can be a useful tool in situations when paternity is disputed.
Rapper Flo Rider, real name Tramar Dillard, recently underwent a paternity test to determine if he is the father of a 2-year-old child in Florida. The child’s mother claimed that the rapper was the father of her child, but Rider was adamant that he was not the child’s father. The woman sued Rider for child support in Florida. Reportedly, the paternity test stated that there was zero chance that Rider was the father of the child. His lawyers intend to file the results of the DNA test, proving he is not the father, with the Florida Department of Revenue so that no child support order can be issued.
If the parents of a child are not married and do not wish to voluntarily acknowledge the paternity of the child, legal action may be necessary. Paternity determinations can be important for a variety of reasons, including child support purposes, inheritance rights, health insurance benefits, social security benefits (if the child’s father dies or becomes disabled), medical history access as well as important emotional benefits.
The mother of a child may file a paternity action against the man she claims is the father of her child to determine paternity. If the man contests paternity, he can be required by the court to submit to DNA testing to establish whether he is the father of the child or not. Once the results are received, the court can enter an order establishing paternity if the man is, in fact, the father of the child. At that point, the father becomes legally obligated to pay child support for the child and the child can then enjoy the other benefits of the established paternity.
Establishing paternity has many benefits for the child. The legal system provides a process through which it can be determined one way or the other for the benefit of all parties involved.
Source: azcentral.com, “Flo Rida did not father child says DNA test,” July 4, 2013