The science of testing for paternity has improved over time. Previously courts throughout the United States used blood tests to demonstrate the likelihood that a man was the father of his presumptive child. However, these tests were not always conclusive and often left the door open for questions regarding whether the correct man had been identified as a biological parent.
Now, Arizona courts as well as many others throughout the country use DNA testing to prove paternity. Every person has a very specific DNA sequence that he received partially from his mother and partially from his father. By comparing the DNA of a child to the DNA of his suspected father it can be shown with a high level of certainty if the child is the offspring of the man suspected of being his father.
Determining paternity is an important step in a man’s plight to gain parental rights over his child. Without proof a paternity an unmarried father may not be able to secure visitation with his child and he may struggle to enforce his custodial rights to be involved in the child’s life. Attorneys who practice family and paternity law are well suited to advise men in this challenging situation on how best to achieve their parental aspirations.
DNA tests are generally not invasive and often can be performed in simple laboratory settings. However, this blog does not provide any advice that should be interpreted as medical guidance or legal assistance. It is offered only as a basic resource on a complicated area of family law. Readers with case-specific questions about paternity testing are encouraged to refer those inquires to their own private attorneys.
