How Can You Prove Paternity If Parent Is Deceased?

 Posted on April 16, 2013 in Paternity

If one parent passes away before you legitimately find out if they are the father or not, do not worry. There is a way to figure it all out. With today’s technological advances it is easier than you think. Paternity issues can be done by following simple steps and utilizing a local lab to do testing. First a birth certificate must be produced and have the questioned man listed as father. This documentation is the first step to proving paternity. It shows acknowledgement as well as the fact that the child has the same surname as the father. This can be proof enough in some states for paternity. Another good form of proof is if the father claimed the child under his taxes as a dependent. All of these can satisfy some or all requirements for paternity in certain states. Just because the child looks like the father in question is not proof that he is the father. A DNA sample has to be gathered to officially determine paternity in some states. It could have been taken during a procedure while the father was still alive. If, however, none was taken while he was alive, the next best solution would be to get a DNA sample from the father’s closest relatives. Higher probability goes to his parents or other children he had. Have testing done with either of those samples to compare to the child’s in a DNA lab. If you are in a situation where paternity is in question and it affects your child’s well being and future, contact a family attorney knowledgeable with paternity disputes in the Illinois area.  

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