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* facts about the relationship, the pregnancy and
the child's birth;
* whether or not the alleged father ever provided
any money for the child;
* whether or not the alleged father ever admitted
in any way that the child was his (for example: through letters or gifts);
* a picture of the alleged father with the child,
if available;
* any information from others who could can the
mother and alleged father's relationship;
* the alleged father's home address
* his home or business address
Q: What if he denies he is the father, or says
he's not sure?
A: Paternity may be determined after blood tests
are given to the mother, child and the alleged father. Test results are
available in approximately four to eight weeks. The tests exclude men who
are not the father and indicate the likelihood of paternity of a man who
is not excluded. Blood tests are very reliable, which is why so few paternity
cases go to trial.
Q: Is there an age limit for the blood tests
to be done on a child?
A: No. Children of any age may be tested, although
some laboratories will not take blood from an infant younger than six months
of age.
Q: Despite the blood tests, the alleged father
still says he is not the father. Will the case be closed?
A: No. If the blood tests show that it is likely
that he is the father, the matter will be set for a hearing or trial and
paternity will be decided. If the issue of paternity is to be tried, then
the CSA will have to do additional investigation to prepare for the trial.
Once the CSA believes that it is prepared for trial, it will request that
the court set the date for trial. This process could take from a few weeks
to more than a year, depending on the circumstances.
Q: What happens if the father leaves the state
before paternity is established?
A: If the alleged father is found and served a
formal complaint, the local court will make a decision on the paternity
question. At the same time, a court order to pay child support may be issued.
This order can be enforced by any state. However, enforcement may take
longer when the non-custodial parent lives outside the state in which you live.
Q: Why should paternity be established if the
father has no money to support the child?
A: When the father starts working, he will be
able to support the child. Establishing paternity as soon as possible will
make collecting child support easier later on.
Q: What happens after paternity is established?
A: Once paternity is established, the CSA will
establish a support order, in most cases.
Q: Can paperwork be filed to establish paternity
while the mother is pregnant, before the child is born?
A: Yes. The paperwork may be filed during the
pregnancy. If the alleged father denies paternity, paternity can be determined
by blood tests after the child is born. Arrangements for the blood test
can be made with your doctor, or blood tests can be done through the CSA.
