Can a man be held responsible for child support if paternity is not established?

In West Virginia, a man can be held responsible for child support if paternity is not established. This is possible because the state has laws that held to the “presumption of paternity”, which states that a man is presumed to be the legal father of a child if he is married to the mother at the time of the child’s birth, or if he signed an acknowledgement of paternity. If the mother or father believes there is a discrepancy in the presumed paternity, they may petition the court to determine the father of the child. In this case, a DNA test may be ordered as evidence of paternity. If the DNA test does not prove the identity of the father, the court may assign a man responsibility for child support based on the circumstances of the situation. As such, even if paternity is disputed, a man may be held responsible for the financial support of a child based on the circumstantial evidence of paternity. The man can also dispute his responsibility for child support through the court system by proving that he is not the biological father of the child in question. In this case, a DNA test is also the most reliable form of proof to contest paternity, and the court will make a final judgment based on the results of the test. It is important to note that paternity can have more implications than financial support, as it is also necessary for legal rights to medical and insurance information, inheritances, and other rights to the child. As such, regardless of the financial responsibility, the man is still entitled to the opportunity to establish paternity legally.

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Can a man be held responsible for child support if paternity is not established?

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