Legal Question in Family Law in Ohio

Child support without paternity verification

I am wondering how the state of Ohio can issue and order for child support without first establishing the paternity. The supposed father never signed any papers and even offered to pay for an abortion after the woman told him she was pregnant (after claiming that she could no longer bear children), as he did not want to be a parent and she was known to sleep with other people. The way things look at this time, Ohio has taken the word of this woman and never even bothered to establish paternity. The child wasn't even given the last name of the supposed father. Please help with any information you can give!


Asked on 6/06/02, 12:16 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Sanford Martin Martin Law Office

Re: Child support without paternity verification

Of course we don't know how the state government can issue an order for child support in the case described. It's not clear whether a court has issued the order for support or whether the state agency is merely demanding child support. A possibility is that a paternity action was filed against the father who never responded to the legal action; thereafter, a default was obtained and the court issued an order. Perhaps the father was never personally served. Regardless, if paternity is an issue, the alleged father has a right to contest the order and to require a paternity test. Such tests are now standard to determine paternity. You should also realize that a man whether he is husband, friend, or lover, cannot require a woman to have an abortion. Also, her reputation or lifestyle or whether she is honest with the alleged father makes no difference regarding support, but raises a question as to his discretion and self control. What does matter is paternity, and he has a right to contest paternity.

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Answered on 6/06/02, 1:18 pm


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