Can You Demand A Paternity Test In California?

Why does Parentage Need To Be Established In Los Angeles?

Being a parent means carrying crucial legal responsibilities to a child. Hence, establishing parentage and requesting paternity tests affect you personally and legally. That said, how does the legal side of paternity work?

Let's examine how parentage and paternity affect you, why you need to establish it, and when you can contest it. Here's what our California family law attorneys have to say about it:

Why Is Paternity Established In Los Angeles?

What advantages come from proving paternity in California? First, let's look at the common legal and personal reasons for doing so:

1. Discovering Health Information Or History

Knowing a child's biological father gives you access to their important medical history. This information can assist the child in anticipating and preparing for potential genetic issues that may arise from their father's side.

2. Establishing Paternal Rights In Los Angeles

The child and the father might value this chance for involvement in each other's lives. This might include child custody, child support, and other relevant claims. This applies to both fathers who want to be involved in a child's life or make a biological father responsible financially and legally for a child.

If you're unsure about the process, consult with a Los Angeles paternity lawyer to help you. A California family law attorney can assist with the paternity test, declaration, as well as other legal consequences of it.

3. Financial And Legal Considerations In California

A known child and a father might benefit from this information legally and financially. For example, a child that a father previously didn't know can receive child support once parentage is officially established. Likewise, a father who might have been defrauded into paying child support for a child they aren't legally obligated to may contest parentage through a paternity test.

How Can You Conduct A Paternity Test In California?

A DNA test is the only reliable way to prove paternity. However, once the results are out, it would not be easy to reverse any legal decisions related to paternity after.

Here are some of the most popular paternity testing available to clients:

1. Pre-natal Test

Once the mother is at least eight weeks pregnant and you wish to prove paternity before the baby is born, you can use a pre-natal test.

The Non-Invasive Pre-natal Paternity Test is safer than other pre-natal test options. This is because the mother's blood will be used to prove paternity.

This works because, throughout pregnancy, the woman shares blood with the unborn child. Doctors will isolate the fetus' DNA to determine the child's paternity.

2. A Blood Test

After a child is delivered, paternity can also be determined using a blood test. Blood tests don't always provide accurate results, but they do so at high enough rates to be helpful.

The blood type test will identify who is most likely the child's father. Blood type is primarily determined by genes, making it a fairly reliable sign of paternity.

The first test's results are occasionally verified by requesting a second one. The conclusion is regarded as accurate if the results of both tests are the same.

3. A DNA Test

The more recent and accurate DNA testing provides an even better way for genetic testing. Tissue or blood samples are used for DNA testing. However, in contrast to blood tests, which can only establish a likelihood of paternity, DNA is unique; hence this test cannot be inaccurate.

To confirm results, at least two DNA tests are often conducted. Most DNA testing employs a cheek swab to collect the tissue sample. Samples will be taken from the mother, father, and child, just like a blood test.

Get A Referral To A Prescreened California Family Lawyer ASAP!

Paternity, parentage, and family law can be complicated. After all, not every family has the same structure.

1000Attorneys can refer you to an experienced and trusted family law attorney in Los Angeles in minutes. Contact us through our inquiry form or 24/7 live chat service.