Can paternity tests be done to establish paternity of 25 year old?
Full Question:
Answer:
In order to require a presumed father to submit to a DNA test to establish paternity, a court action must be commenced. In North Carolina, an action to establish paternity must be brought prior to the child's 18th birthday.
Only certain persons or parties have legal standing to bring a paternity action, including the mother of the child; the mother of an expected child; a man alleging that he is the biological father of a child; a man alleging that he is the biological father of an expected child; the child; a personal representative of the child; the mother and father of a child (a voluntary action filed together); the mother and father of an expected child (a voluntary action filed together); a state social service agency, interceding in cases of child neglect or need; and a prosecutor's office, interceding in cases of child neglect or need. An action for paternity may be filed by the child. In many states, after a child reaches the "age of majority," he has another one to five years to seek the establishment of paternity. Upon the order of a court in North Carolina, if an action to determine parentage is filed and it is determined that a certain individual is the father of the minor child(ren) and that determination contradicts the child's birth certificate, a new birth certificate will be issued reflecting the father as established in the court order.
A court will not automatically order paternity tests simply because a paternity action has been filed. It will review the petition to determine if there is sufficient information contained therein to warrant or justify the compelling of such a test. If the court orders a paternity test, the mother, child, and alleged father will all be tested at a court-designated facility. A court determination of paternity is final, and a copy of the court's order will be needed to establish the child's rights, both present and future.
Termination of parental rights is a court order that severs the rights, powers, privileges, immunities, duties and obligations between a parent and child. A termination of parental rights may be voluntary or involuntary. Even if the statutory grounds for termination of parental rights are established, the court need not terminate parental rights if such action is not in the child’s best interests. Such a decision may be made based upon, among other factors, abandonment by a parent, child abuse, unfitness of a parent, and other injuries to a child. The parent whose rights are sought to be terminated has certain due process rights, such as proper notice and a hearing. After the termination of parental rights, the child is placed with someone other than the parent whose rights are terminated, such as the other parent or a foster home. A parent whose rights are terminated is generally relieved of the obligation to pay child support, however, courts are reluctant to allow parents to avoid their child support obligations by waiving all parental rights to their children. Some courts disallow a parent to terminate parental rights in order to avoid child support payments.
The following are North Carolina statutes:
§ 49-12.1. Legitimation when mother married. (1998)
(a) The putative father of a child born to a mother who is married to another man may file a special proceeding to legitimate the child. The procedures shall be the same as those specified by G.S. 49-10, except that the spouse of the mother of the child shall be a necessary party to the proceeding and shall be properly served. A guardian ad litem shall be appointed to represent the child if the child is a minor.
(b) The presumption of legitimacy can be overcome by clear and convincing evidence.
(c) The parties may enter a consent order with the approval of the clerk of superior court. The order entered by the clerk shall find the facts and declare the proper person the father of the child and may change the surname of the child.
(d) The effect of legitimation under this section shall be the same as provided by G.S. 49-11.
(e) A certified copy of the order of legitimation under this section shall be sent by the clerk of superior court under his official seal to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics who shall make a new birth certificate bearing the full name of the father of the child and, if ordered by the clerk, changing the surname of the child.
§ 49-13. New birth certificate on legitimation. (1955)
A certified copy of the order of legitimation when issued under the provisions of G.S. 49-10 shall be sent by the clerk of the superior court under his official seal to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics who shall then make the new birth certificate bearing the full name of the father, and change the surname of the child so that it will be the same as the surname of the father.
When a child is legitimated under the provisions of G.S. 49-12, the State Registrar of Vital Statistics shall make a new birth certificate bearing the full name of the father upon presentation of a certified copy of the certificate of marriage of the father and mother and change the surname of the child so that it will be the same as the surname of the father.
§ 49-13.1. Effect of legitimation on adoption consent. (2004)
Repealed.
§ 49-14. Civil action to establish paternity. (2005)
(a) The paternity of a child born out of wedlock may be established by civil action at any time prior to such child's eighteenth birthday. A copy of a certificate of birth of the child shall be attached to the complaint. The establishment of paternity shall not have the effect of legitimation. The social security numbers, if known, of the minor child's parents shall be placed in the record of the proceeding.
(b) Proof of paternity pursuant to this section shall be by clear, cogent, and convincing evidence.
(c) No such action shall be commenced nor judgment entered after the death of the putative father, unless the action is commenced either:
(1) Prior to the death of the putative father;
(2) Within one year after the date of death of the putative father, if a proceeding for administration of the estate of the putative father has not been commenced within one year of his death; or
(3) Within the period specified in G.S. 28A-19-3(a) for presentation of claims against an estate, if a proceeding for administration of the estate of the putative father has been commenced within one year of his death.
Any judgment under this subsection establishing a decedent to be the father of a child shall be entered nunc pro tunc to the day preceding the date of death of the father.
(d) If the action to establish paternity is brought more than three years after birth of a child or is brought after the death of the putative father, paternity shall not be established in a contested case without evidence from a blood or genetic marker test.
(e) Either party to an action to establish paternity may request that the case be tried at the first session of the court after the case is docketed, but the presiding judge, in his discretion, may first try any pending case in which the rights of the parties or the public demand it.
(f) When a determination of paternity is pending in a IV-D case, the court shall enter a temporary order for child support upon motion and showing of clear, cogent, and convincing evidence of paternity. For purposes of this subsection, the results of blood or genetic tests shall constitute clear, cogent, and convincing evidence of paternity if the tests show that the probability of the alleged parent's parentage is ninety-seven percent (97%) or higher. If paternity is not thereafter established, then the putative father shall be reimbursed the full amount of temporary support paid under the order.
(g) Invoices for services rendered for pregnancy, childbirth, and blood or genetic testing are admissible as evidence without requiring third party foundation testimony and shall constitute prima facie evidence of the amounts incurred for the services or for testing on behalf of the child.
§ 49-15. Custody and support of illegitimate children when paternity established. (1967)
Upon and after the establishment of paternity of an illegitimate child pursuant to G.S. 49-14, the rights, duties, and obligations of the mother and the father so established, with regard to support and custody of the child, shall be the same, and may be determined and enforced in the same manner, as if the child were the legitimate child of such father and mother. When paternity has been established, the father becomes responsible for medical expenses incident to the pregnancy and the birth of the child.
§ 49-16. Parties to proceeding. (1975)
Proceedings under this Article may be brought by:
(1) The mother, the father, the child, or the personal representative of the mother or the child.
(2) When the child, or the mother in case of medical expenses, is likely to become a public charge, the director of social services or such person as by law performs the duties of such official.
a. In the county where the mother resides or is found,
b. In the county where the putative father resides or is found, or
c. In the county where the child resides or is found.
§ 49-17. Jurisdiction over nonresident or nonpresent persons. (1979)
(a) The act of sexual intercourse within this State constitutes sufficient minimum contact with this forum for purposes of subjecting the person or persons participating therein to the jurisdiction of the courts of this State for actions brought under this Article for paternity and support of any child who may have been conceived as a result of such act.
(b) The jurisdictional basis in subsection (a) of this section shall be construed in addition to, and not in lieu of, any basis or bases for jurisdiction within G.S. 1-75.4.