During divorce, all kinds of allegations come out. Most of them aren’t pretty, and some of them are blatant lies. Psychologists suggest that people who are hurting, such as those who are embroiled in a divorce, often sling accusations at one another for the sole purpose of causing the other party pain. Sometimes things go too far, like when a father falsely claims the child or children involved are not his, or vice-versa, when a mother falsely claims that her children were not fathered by her ex. Fortunately, paternity testing is available. Because no two cases are the same, you should only rely on your Milwaukee divorce lawyer to help you figure out what to do if this happens to you.
Why People Request Paternity Tests
In some cases, parents truly aren’t sure who has fathered the children they share. If that’s the case, then a paternity test is certainly in order – assuming the parties involved want one. The unfortunate statistics suggest that as many as 5 percent of children born to married parents are actually not fathered by the husband – so in some cases, it’s reasonable for a man to request a paternity test.
There are also reasons that cause deceptive people to question paternity, including:
- They want to prolong or stall the case
- They are hoping to get out of child support obligations
- They have not connected with the child, either because they didn’t care to or were prevented from doing so, and feel that they won’t benefit from continuing a relationship with the child
- They are trying to hurt the other party
What to Do if Your Ex Requests a Paternity Test
Chances are that your Milwaukee divorce attorney will find out that your ex wants a paternity test before you do. It’s important that you take your lawyer’s advice in a sticky situation like this; he or she might tell you to wait until the court orders one or to have one performed immediately. Either way, you need to rely on your lawyer’s experience.
If you’re certain about who has fathered your children, it really hurts to be told that you have to participate in paternity testing. That’s normal – and remember, you’re going to come out of this with justice on your side, because nobody can argue with scientific proof.
