The Benefits of Paternity Testing: Personal Information (Peace of Mind) and Legal Issues

“Can you legally request a paternity test?” “Is the child mine?” “How can I protect myself from frivolous lawsuits and seek the restitution I deserve?” Many individuals have asked these questions, and the answer is hard to navigate in the wild landscape of the internet. 

Luckily, finding those answers is easy. Yes, you can request a paternity test in the UK! When performed by a reputable tester, a paternity test can stand in a court of law, confirm the father of a child, and protect men and women from frivolous lawsuits and failed pleas for restitution and financial aid.

What is a Paternity Test?

A paternity test is used to identify if a person is someone else’s father. It is usually used in legal affairs to determine if an accidental pregnancy or another circumstance warrants the accused party to pay child support or other legally-binding contracts.

Can You Be Forced to Take a Paternity Test?

While you can request a paternity test in the UK, can you be forced to take one? Yes and no. Theoretically, the court can compel you to provide a DNA sample. However, you may be able to deny this—depending on several factors. Everything is relative to the case. You should always follow what the court compels you to do for obvious reasons.

Generally, a paternity test is your choice regardless of what the other party wants. A paternity test in the UK merely checks the father’s DNA to confirm the child has his genetic code.

Can I Request a Paternity Test For Legal Reasons?

Can you legally request a paternity test? There are several answers to this, but the general rule is yes, you can. In the case of custody, maintenance, and other civil or family-related matters, the court can request a paternity test at the behest of one party. However, both parties can refuse unless ordered by the court to comply. However, denying a paternity test has several ramifications for both the prosecution and the defence.

When Do You Need a Paternity Test?

You may need to take a paternity test for several reasons, but the two most common are:

• Personal Information – commonly known as “peace of mind”
• Legal issues

Finding out you are not the father of a child you’ve been raising can be difficult emotionally, and we are here to offer comfort and resources in this challenging time. On the other hand, if you do not prove you aren’t the father, this could lead to a child maintenance contract. In this situation, you should expect to pay almost 16% of your income to nurture the child. If you have any suspicions that you are not the father, consider getting a paternity test when you can.

Legal Issues

Unfortunately, there are many complicated legal issues surrounding paternity rights. We strive to assist parties on either side of the situation as best we can, offering fair and unbiased resources that can provide help in your specific situation.

You will want a paternity test if a woman claims that you fathered her child—particularly if you are not married to her. This will allow you to determine if you are or are not the father in question. A woman may call for a paternity test if a man refuses to support a child he has fathered and the link between father and child must be confirmed. A paternity test is needed in order to pursue these claims. 

Failure to prove you are not the father—or failing to prove the child belongs to the stated person—can result in a delay of restitution, case loss, or outright dismissal. The court will not always invite you to request a paternity test, so you must be proactive.

Personal Information

While many may take offence to a paternity test in the UK, there is no denying that it can bring peace of mind. Suppose you have recently gone through a breakup, separation, or period where you and a partner were sexually active and reconciled several weeks later. In that case, it can be comforting to know the child you are having is yours. It takes at least two weeks for a woman to know she is pregnant—often more—and how she decides to tell her partner is her choice. 

This has the disadvantage, however, of leaving some men feeling emotionally distraught—even more so if they are infertile or have had a vasectomy. A paternity test can provide an answer for a possible father knowing the child is theirs, and can also identify misinformation about sterility or a botched vasectomy.

Curiosity and Medical Reasons

Sometimes, children get curious if their father is who they say they are. For many children, this can be the case if they grow up only knowing someone who is their step-father or adoptive father. The curiosity to know affects everyone, and a paternity test can help bring that information to light and identify possible medical issues later in life.

For example, if you do not know your father, a paternity test will help you learn who your father is and learn the medical history crucial to living a healthy life. After all, you receive roughly half of your genetics from both parents, so it helps to know what could affect you later in life.

The Benefits of a Paternity Test for Legal Issues

In many legal cases, a paternity test in the UK can save you from substantial financial commitments or accusations. A paternity test is not definitive proof, but it can sometimes be the proof you need to unshackle yourself from legal obligations. For women, a paternity test allows you to make a stronger case for receiving the restitution you are seeking.

However, it is worth noting that the court will not accept those findings if you supply a paternity test done by a company which has not been approved by the Ministry of Justice, regardless of your reasoning. A professional tester must notarise and perform a paternity test to be admissible in court. Doing the test at home does not stand in court.

Before taking any legal action for a paternity test, consult your solicitor, seek advice, and ensure the company you use to perform the test is reputable, efficient and on the list of approved companies. You will find our sister service thatdnacompany.com on the “list” as Complement Genomics Ltd trading as dadcheck®. You must also follow the court’s orders. For example, do not bring an at-home paternity test to them and expect them to rule in your favour.

Protects you From Frivolous Lawsuits

For men, the most essential part of a paternity test is your legal rights against frivolous lawsuits. In the United Kingdom, it’s been discovered that many men are not the father of their children. On top of that, many sexually promiscuous men are often the target of frivolous lawsuits where someone claims their child was conceived during a one-night stand, thus making the father responsible for maintaining that child.

A legal paternity test in the UK is enough proof that your genetic code is not present in the child. With this knowledge, there is no legal obligation to support that child.

Helps Secure Your Restitution

As a woman, a paternity test provides a higher level of proof that your child was fathered by the person you are seeking restitution from. It is not the end-all-be-all golden ticket, but it strengthens your claim and can often be used to bring the opposition to the mediation table.

You never want to go into a court case blind, so ensure you have all the facts available, including what will be required from your DNA tester to ensure a speedy resolution and restitution. There are several caveats, however, and they must be followed. To learn all the rules, you can click here and search for your location.

Dangers of Not Knowing Paternity

There are two significant consequences if you choose not to pursue a paternity test: financial and emotional strain. These have subcategories but are generally the most impactful consequences of unknown paternity.

Financial Strain

As a man, if you cannot prove you are not the parent of a child in a court of law, you will be required to help maintain that child until they reach a certain age. In most places, the price is 12 to 16% of your income, which is sent to the mother so she can raise the child.

For women, if you cannot prove the person you accused is the father, then any financial support you would have received from a judgement is lost. Furthermore, the cost of raising a child alone grows every year.

Emotional Friction

On an emotional level, men and women handle unknown paternity differently. For some, not knowing is fine, and their love for the child trumps whoever made them. Alternatively, some partners can feel distraught over not knowing, with many fathers worried they are not the father and many women feeling embarrassed by not having the correct answer.

We are all human beings, and emotions govern many of our actions. Taking a paternity test can alleviate many of those unknowns, though there will always be an emotional strain even if the results return with an answer you expected.

Choosing Your Paternity Tester

Choosing a paternity tester may seem easy, but you need to know many acute and significant pitfalls before selecting your tester. You should always use a responsible, ethical, and highly-reviewed tester that can provide speedy results.

thatDNAcompany® For You

thatDNAcompany® has provided thousands of men and women across the UK with the answers to fatherhood of children. We provide multiple children and father tests while accurately providing data within two business days to a secure channel accessible only by you. For more information, contact us today.