Should Paternity Tests Be Mandatory?

saw a tweet about a guy who just found out after ten years that’s 1 out of 4 kids he was taking care of was his. His wife was lying to him the entire time. He spent 10 years with her and the kids.

Can’t stuff like this be avoided if paternity tests were mandatory at child birth.

I would rather take the test and divorce my wife as soon as possible rather than spend 10 years with a liar while taking care of kids that weren’t mine.

I believe there was a study into this which found that this is very rare.

Why inflict this cost on everyone, including in cases where people want to live in ignorance when the option to have this test is available and affordable to the individual?

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You can do this on your own, no need for new laws. There are several do it yourself home kits available.

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I’ll also add that if you feel you need this test then either:

A) you are with an untrustworthy person
B) you are insanely insecure

If it’s A, you likely know the answer anyway. If it’s B, the result will only be a band aide until the next thing you drop your shit over comes along.

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He should be entitled to child support so as to reimburse him emotionally, for his time, and for his financial investment.

As to the question, It should be, if the supposed male biological parent requests it.

That’s a pass for me.

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Stuff like this can be avoided by having a good marriage to a good person.

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If something is mandatory it means it is done regardless of any request.

Correct. Where did I say otherwise?

So could domestic violence.

Well, this thread isn’t about domestic violence, it’s about mandatory paternity tests. Stay on topic…

I am replying to a poster by highlighting a point germane to the conversation, without explicitly stating it.

In fact, you liked his comment. So, I will explicitly state my point. You COULD say the same about domestic violence. Do you? If it’s not appropriate there, why would it be appropriate here, where there is also a victim? My implication–which I’m now stating outright–is that it would be considered victim blaming in the former, but not the latter. Why?

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It can also be avoided by electing to perform the test as the parents. I have 2 children and it was offered to me both times.

Is there a plus side to it being mandatory as opposed to optional?

Just a thought, if requiring these on a mass scale, any miniscule error rate in the testing, handling of samples, etc. could end up really screwing up some people’s lives unnecessarily.

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Depending on what state he’s in he’s likely on the hook for those extra 3 kids anyway.

If you sign the paperwork that they put in front of you the day the kid is born no act of heaven or hell will make you not financially responsible for the kids (in most states). You could bring in the head of the human genome project as a witness and the judge will say “why did you put your name on the birth certificate if you had doubts about paternity.” Family courts give zero fucks.

So the only time to “get out of” your obligation is to have the test done the week your baby is born before you sign anything. Picture that sceene for me. Your lovely wife just went through childbirth and you’re like “test the kid or I’m not signing anything”. Good luck buster. Make sure she has nothing to throw at you.

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And saving others years of investment they would never have made. I wonder how many false positives, including a 2nd confirmation test, there actually would be versus the amount of men out there who may be living in a state of ignorant investment they’d otherwise not choose. Dunno.

Edit: And, with the objection above, how many men are paying support where paternity tests were used as evidence? I really don’t know, honest question. If paternity test can be used by a court to obligate a man, surely they are reliable enough to prove he isn’t the father.

It is absurd to equate the victim of domestic violence with the ‘victim’ of false patrimony.

I assume you punched the person in the mouth for what s/he was implying about your wife?

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I didn’t equate them. But there is a victim nonetheless, as with domestic violence. And it is a rather serious wrong on its own.

Edit: Why did you stress the word victim?

Of course not. Best case scenario I’m punching a nurse for something the Corp side of the hospital is requiring that they do.

Iirc the signing of all the paperwork sans paternity test was an explicit waiver of challenging paternity, but I could be wrong. Both of my kids were stupidly stressful deliveries though, so I probably would have signed anything they put in front of me.

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