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What Is Paternity Fraud?

On Behalf of | Aug 23, 2013 | Paternity

Paternity is an important consideration with many implications that the legal process can help with.

The woman who brought a paternity suit against Michael Jordan, claiming he fathered her 17-year old son, has been fined by the court. It has been reported that the woman was ordered to pay $10,000 in Jordan’s legal fees for the false paternity claim. The woman was seeking child support from the former basketball player. Florida residents may not be aware that the basketball player was recently married in their state.

A woman may file a paternity action to establish that the man she believes is the father of her child is, in fact, the father of her child. A paternity action will require that the man the mother claims is the father of the child present himself to the court. If the man contests the claim, the judge can order DNA testing to determine if the man that the mother claims is the father of her child is, indeed, the father. If the outcome of the testing determines that the man is the biological father of the child, then other considerations, such as child support and child custody, will be considered.

The court will also issue an order naming the man as the father of the child. Because establishing paternity has important implications, such as the right of the child to inherit, as well as important emotional implications, it is also possible to challenge paternity. This can be done by challenging the lab results as fraudulent, tainted or in some other way tampered with. Paternity can be challenged in much the same way it is established through a court action.

A trained family law professional may be able to aid a Floridian party wishing to establish or challenge paternity with the specifics of the process and how to go about them. Paternity is an important legal and emotional issue so understanding the process can be tremendously beneficial to the parties considering it.

Source: Thenewage.co.za.com, “Woman fined for lying about Michael Jordan’ child” Aug. 5, 2013