| In the past decade, since DNA paternity testing has | | | | if that man is not actually the baby's biological father? |
| gained public popularity, DNA testing laboratories have | | | | That child could potentially live his or her entire life |
| reported relatively consistent rates of non-paternity | | | | not knowing the truth. Up until the wide availability of |
| results. Surprisingly, non-paternity is reported in | | | | DNA paternity tests, this has actually been a |
| between 20 and 30% percent of all tests performed. | | | | relatively common occurrence in our society. Many |
| Sometimes a paternity test may be performed when | | | | middle-aged adults have elected to undergo DNA |
| a child is an infant, sometimes when he/she is much | | | | testing for popular ancestral research or other |
| older, even as an adult. Results of DNA paternity | | | | elective purposes, only to mistakenly discover that |
| tests may have a huge impact on the lives of those | | | | they are not their father's children. |
| people involved, especially when the man who was | | | | In an effort to protect children, some legislators have |
| thought to be the father of a child is found not to | | | | considered mandatory DNA paternity testing |
| be. | | | | immediately following the birth of a child. Last year, a |
| In the majority of relationships, couples are likely to | | | | state-level bill in Tennessee proposed exactly that. |
| have decided that the man will be named as the | | | | While this may seem offensive to some people, the |
| baby's father on the birth certificate, prior to the | | | | goal is simply to protect children from the injustice of |
| baby's birth. So, as soon as the baby is born, the | | | | paternity fraud. |
| man signs his name to the birth certificate. So, what | | | | |