Source: https://answers.uslegal.com/paternity/16136/
Timestamp: 2018-01-22 14:31:28
Document Index: 321495757

Matched Legal Cases: ['§4904', '§ 4904', '§ 4904', '§4904', '§ 4343', '§ 5352', '§ 5364', '§5103', '§5313', '§ 5313', '§4343', '§4904']

Do I have rights if I am the birth father but another man signed the birth certificate? Paternity Legal Questions & Answers
Do I have rights if I am the birth father but another...
Do I have rights if I am the birth father but another man signed the birth certificate?
I would like to know what are the rights of a father if the mother has another man sign the birth certificate in Pennsylvania. I would like to know my rights if someone else signs the birth certificate. Can I petition for a paternity test?
04/26/2009 | Category: Paternity | State: Pennsylvania | #16136
A child born to a married couple is considered legitimate in the eyes of the law. However, the fact that a person's name appears on a birth certificate is not conclusive proof of paternity. Since there is no requirement that a father sign a birth certificate, a mother may list anyone whom she believes is, or wants to be, the father. If the parents of a child were not married when the mother became pregnant or when the child was born, the child does not have a legal father until paternity is established. All states have programs under which birthing hospitals give unmarried parents of a newborn the opportunity to acknowledge the father's paternity of the child. States must also generally help parents acknowledge paternity up to the child's eighteenth birthday through vital records offices or other entities designated by the state. The father will be shown on the birth certificate if he acknowledges paternity when or close in time to the birth, or the court orders the birth certificate to be changed to reflect the father’s name. A father can acknowledge paternity by signing a written admission or voluntary acknowledgment of paternity or paternity may be established by filing a civil lawsuit. Most states will permit a father to execute an affidavit acknowledging paternity, which eliminates the need for a court action. The affidavit must also be signed by both mother and father, notarized, and filed with the court. Generally, once a paternity affidavit is filed and signed by a judge (if required by state law), the father cannot later attempt to rescind or void the affidavit. A court will not automatically order paternity tests simply because a paternity action has been filed. It will review the petition to determine if there is sufficient information contained therein to warrant or justify the compelling of such a test. If the court orders a paternity test, the mother, child, and alleged father will be tested at a court-designated facility.
(b) Limitation of actions. —
(c) Genetic tests. —
(1) Upon the request of any party to an action to establish
paternity, supported by a sworn statement from the party, the court or
domestic relations section shall require the child and the parties to
submit to genetic tests. The domestic relations section shall obtain an
additional genetic test upon the request and advance payment by any
party who contests the initial test.
(2) Genetic test results indicating a 99% or greater probability that
the alleged father is the father of the child shall create a
presumption of paternity which may be rebutted only by clear and
convincing evidence that the results of the genetic tests are not
reliable in that particular case.
(3) To ensure the integrity of the specimen and that the proper chain
of custody has been maintained, the genetic tests of the biological
mother, the child or children in question and the alleged father should
be conducted by an established genetic-testing laboratory in the course
of its regularly conducted business activity, and certified records
should be issued. The certified records shall be admissible into
evidence without further foundation, authentication or proof of
accuracy if no objection is made within ten days prior to trial. The
laboratory must be certified by either the American Association of
Blood Banks or the American Association for Histocompatibility and
(4) If the court or domestic relations section orders genetic
testing, the domestic relations section shall pay the cost of the
test, subject to recoupment from the alleged father if paternity is
(5) A determination of paternity made by another state, whether
through judicial proceedings, administrative proceedings or by
acknowledgment of paternity, shall be given full faith and credit in
the courts of this Commonwealth.
(6) A determination of nonpaternity made by another state with
respect to a public assistance recipient shall not be binding upon the
Department of Public Welfare unless the defendant shows that the
department had actual notice of the proceedings, including the date and
time of any trial, and a fair opportunity to participate in all
material proceedings through counsel of its own choice.
(a) General rule. — All children shall be legitimate irrespective of
the marital status of their parents, and, in every case where children
are born out of wedlock, they shall enjoy all the rights and privileges
as if they had been born during the wedlock of their parents except as
otherwise provided in Title 20 (relating to decedents, estates and
fiduciaries).
(b) Determination of paternity. — For purposes of prescribing benefits
to children born out of wedlock by, from and through the father,
paternity shall be determined by any one of the following ways:
(1) If the parents of a child born out of wedlock have married each
(2) If, during the lifetime of the child, it is determined by clear
and convincing evidence that the father openly holds out the child to
be his and either receives the child into his home or provides support
(3) If there is clear and convincing evidence that the man was the
father of the child, which may include a prior court determination of
(a) Acknowledgment of paternity. — The father of a child born to an
unmarried woman may file with the Department of Public Welfare, on forms
prescribed by the department, an acknowledgment of paternity of the child
which shall include the consent of the mother of the child, supported by
her witnessed statement subject to 18 P.S. §4904 (relating to unsworn
falsification to authorities). In such case, the father shall have all
the rights and duties as to the child which he would have had if he had
been married to the mother at the time of the birth of the child, and the
child shall have all the rights and duties as to the father which the
child would have had if the father had been married to the mother at the
time of birth. The hospital or other person accepting an acknowledgment
of paternity shall provide written and oral notice, which may be through
the use of video or audio equipment, to the birth mother and birth father
of the alternatives to, the legal consequences of and the rights and
(b) Claim of paternity. — If the mother of the child fails or refuses
to join in the acknowledgment of paternity provided for in
subsection (a), the Department of Public Welfare shall index it as a claim of
paternity. The filing and indexing of a claim of paternity shall not
confer upon the putative father any rights as to the child except that
the putative father shall be entitled to notice of any proceeding brought
to terminate any parental rights as to the child.
(c) Duty of hospital or birthing center. — Upon the birth of a
child to an unmarried woman, an agent of the hospital or birthing
center where the birth occurred shall:
(1) Provide the newborn's birth parents with an opportunity to
complete an acknowledgment of paternity. The completed, signed and
witnessed acknowledgment shall be sent to the Department of Public
Welfare. A copy shall be given to each of the birth parents. This
(i) A signed, witnessed statement subject to 18 P.S. § 4904
(relating to unsworn falsification to authorities) by the birth
mother consenting to the acknowledgment of paternity.
(ii) A signed, witnessed statement subject to 18 P.S. § 4904
by the birth father acknowledging his paternity.
(iii) A written explanation of the parental duties and parental
rights which arise from signing such a statement.
(iv) The Social Security numbers and addresses of both birth
(2) Provide written information, furnished by the department to the
birth mother and birth father, which explains the benefits of having
the child's paternity established, the availability of paternity
establishment services and the availability of child support
(d) Conclusive evidence. — Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
an acknowledgment of paternity shall constitute conclusive evidence of
paternity without further judicial ratification in any action to establish
support. The court shall give full faith and credit to an acknowledgment
(e) Transfer. — The Department of Health shall transfer to the
Department of Public Welfare all acknowledgments or claims of paternity
filed with the Department of Health under prior statutes.
(f) Certifications. — The Department of Public Welfare shall provide
necessary certifications under Part III (relating to adoption) as to
whether any acknowledgment or claim of paternity has been filed in regard
to any child who is a prospective adoptive child.
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a signed, voluntary,
witnessed acknowledgment of paternity subject to 18 P.S. §4904 shall
be considered a legal finding of paternity, subject to the right of any
signatory to rescind the acknowledgment within the earlier of the
(ii) the date of an administrative or judicial proceeding relating
to the child, including, but not limited to, a domestic relations
section conference or a proceeding to establish a support order in
which the signatory is a party.
(2) After the expiration of the 60 days, an acknowledgment of
paternity may be challenged in court only on the basis of fraud, duress
or material mistake of fact, which must be established by the
challenger through clear and convincing evidence. An order for support
shall not be suspended during the period of challenge except for good
(h) Penalties for noncompliance. — The department may impose a civil
penalty of not to exceed $500 per day upon a hospital or birthing center
which is not in compliance with the provisions of this section. A penalty
under this subsection is subject to 2 P. S. Ch. 5 Subch. A (relating to
practice and procedure of Commonwealth agencies) and Ch. 7 Subch. A
(i) Status of father. — The name of the father shall be included on the
record of birth of the child of unmarried parents only if one of the
(1) The father and mother have signed a voluntary acknowledgment of
(2) A court or administrative agency of competent jurisdiction has
issued an adjudication of paternity.
(b) Scope of section. —
(2) Criminal proceedings. — This section shall apply to all criminal
proceedings subject to the following limitations and provisions:
(i) An order for the tests shall be made only upon application of a
party or on the initiative of the court.
(ii) The compensation of the experts shall be paid by the party
requesting the blood test or by the county, as the court shall
(iii) The court may direct a verdict of acquittal upon the
conclusions of all the experts under subsection (f). Otherwise, the
(iv) The refusal of a defendant to submit to the tests may not be
used in evidence against the defendant.
(c) Authority for test. — In any matter subject to this section in
which paternity, parentage or identity of a child is a relevant fact,
the court, upon its own initiative or upon suggestion made by or on
behalf of any person whose blood is involved, may or, upon motion of
any party to the action made at a time so as not to delay the
proceedings unduly, shall order the mother, child and alleged father to
submit to blood tests. If any party refuses to submit to the tests, the
court may resolve the question of paternity, parentage or identity of a
child against the party or enforce its order if the rights of others
and the interests of justice so require.
(d) Selection of experts. — The tests shall be made by experts
qualified as examiners of blood types, who shall be appointed by the
court. The experts shall be called by the court as witnesses to testify
to their findings and shall be subject to cross-examination by the
parties. Any party or person at whose suggestion the tests have been
ordered may demand that other experts qualified as examiners of blood
types perform independent tests under order of court, the results of
which may be offered in evidence. The number and qualifications of
experts shall be determined by the court.
(e) Compensation of experts. — The compensation of each expert
witness appointed by the court shall be fixed at a reasonable amount.
It shall be paid as the court shall order. Subject to general rules,
the court may order that it be paid by the parties in such proportions
and at such times as it shall prescribe or that the proportion of any
party be paid by the county and that, after payment by the parties or
the county, or both, all or part or none of it be taxed as costs in the
action. Subject to general rules, the fee of an expert witness called
by a party but not appointed by the court shall be paid by the party
calling him, but shall not be taxed as costs in the action.
(f) Effect of test results. — If the court finds that the conclusions
of all the experts as disclosed by the evidence based upon the tests
are that the alleged father is not the father of the child, the
question of paternity, parentage or identity of a child shall be
resolved accordingly. If the experts disagree in their findings or
conclusions, the question shall be submitted upon all the evidence.
(g) Effect on presumption of legitimacy. — The presumption of
legitimacy of a child born during wedlock is overcome if the court
finds that the conclusions of all the experts as disclosed by the
evidence based upon the tests show that the husband is not the father
(a) Acknowledgment of Paternity. If the action seeks
support for a child born out of wedlock and the alleged father is
named as defendant, the defendant may acknowledge paternity in a
verified writing. the conference officer shall advise the parties
that pursuant to Section 5103(d) of Title 23 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes an acknowledgement constitutes conclusive
evidence of defendant's paternity without further judicial
ratification in any action to establish support. Upon defendant's
execution of the written acknowledgment, the action shall proceed as
in other actions for support.
(b) Genetic Testing. If the defendant appears but does not execute an
acknowledgement of paternity at the conference:
(1) The court shall enter an order directing the parties to appear
for genetic testing. The order must advise the defendant that his
failure to appear for the testing will result in entry of an order
finding that he is the farther of the child. The order must also
advise the plaintiff that her failure to appear for testing may
result in sanctions, including entry of an order dismissing the
(2) the conference officer shall advise and provide written
notice to the parties that they may enter into a written
stipulation whereby both agree to submit to genetic testing for
the purpose of resolving finally the issue of paternity. If the
test results indicate a 99% of higher probability of paternity,
the defendant shall be stipulated to be the biological father of
the child and the case referred for a child support conference.
If the test results indicate an exclusion, the action shall be
dismissed. The written stipulation constitutes a waiver of the
right to a hearing on the genetic testing or trial on the issue
(3) The conference officer shall advise and provide written
notice to the parties that if they do not enter into a written
stipulation and the test results do not indicate an exclusion,
there will be a hearing regarding genetic testing or trial before
a judge without a jury on the issue of paternity in accordance
with the procedures set forth in subdivision (d) of this Rule.
(c) Estoppel and Presumption of Paternity. If either
party or the court raises the issue of estoppel or the issue of
whether the presumption of paternity is applicable, the court
shall dispose promptly of the issue and may stay the order for
genetic testing until the issue is resolved.
(1) The results of the genetic tests shall be provided in
writing to counsel for the parties or, if unrepresented, to the
(2) If the results of the genetic tests resolve the issue of
paternity pursuant to the stipulation of the parties, a paternity
order shall be entered and served on the parties.
(ii) If the defendant is stipulated to be the biological
father, the action shall proceed as in other actions for support.
(3) If the results of the genetic tests do not resolve the
issue of paternity pursuant to the stipulation of the parties,
but the test results indicate a 99% or more probability of
paternity, the court shall issue a rule against the defendant
to show cause why an order should not be entered finding him to
be the farther. The rule shall advise the defendant that pursuant
to 23 Pa.C.D. § 4343 his defense is limited to a showing by
clear and convincing evidence that the results of the genetic
tests are not reliable. The rule shall direct that an answer to
be filed within 20 days after service of the rule on the defendant.
The answer shall state the material facts which constitute the
defense. Any allegation of fact which does not appear of record
If an answer is not timely filed, the court shall enter an
order finding paternity and refer the action to conference and
hearing as in other actions for support. If an answer is filed
raising a disputed issue of material fact relating to the
reliability of the genetic testing, the case shall be listed
promptly for expedited hearing before a judge. The burden of proof
at the hearing is on the defendant and is limited to proof by
tests are not reliable.
(4) If the results of the genetic tests do not resolve the
issue of paternity and the test results indicate less than
a 99% probability of paternity, the case shall be listed
promptly for expedited trial before a judge.
(5) If, after a hearing or trial, the decision is for the
defendant on the issue of paternity, a final order shall be
entered by the court dismissing the action as to the child,
If the decision is against the defendant on the issue of
paternity, an interlocutory order shall be entered by the
court finding paternity. The court may enter an interim
order for child support at that time and shall refer the
action to conference and hearing as in other actions for
(e) Failure to Appear. If defendant fails to appear as
ordered for a conference, hearing or trial, or for genetic
tests, the court shall, upon proof of service on the defendant,
enter an order establishing paternity. The court may also enter
an interim order for child support at that time and shall refer
the action to conference and hearing as in other actions for support.
(f) Appeal of Paternity Order. An order establishing
paternity is not an appealable order. The issue of paternity may
be included in an appeal from the final order of child support.
Rule 1915.3. Commencement of Action. Complaint.
(a) Except as provided by subdivision (c), an action shall
be commenced by filing a verified complaint substantially
in the form provided by Rule 1915.15(a).
(b) An order shall be attached to the complaint directing
the defendant to appear at a time and place specified. The
order shall be substantially in the form provided by
Rule 1915.15(b).
Note: See Section 5352(c) of the Uniform Child
Custody Jurisdiction Act, 23 Pa.C.S. § 5352(c), relating to
costs and expenses for appearance of parties and child, and
Section 5364(a), 23 Pa.C.S. § 5364(a), relating to
intrastate application of the Uniform Act.
(c) A claim for custody, partial custody or visitation
which is joined with an action of divorce shall be asserted
in the complaint or a subsequent petition, which shall be
substantially in the form provided by Rule 1915.15(a).
Note: Divorce Rule 1920.13(b) provides that claims
which may be joined with an action of divorce shall be
raised by the complaint or a subsequent petition.
(d) If the mother of the child is not married and the child
has no legal or presumptive father, then a putative father
initiating an action for custody, partial custody or
visitation must file a claim of paternity pursuant
to 23 Pa. C.S. §5103 and attach a copy to the complaint in
Note: If a putative father is uncertain of paternity,
the correct procedure is to commence a civil
action for paternity pursuant to the procedures set forth
at Rule 1930.6.
(e) A grandparent seeking physical and/or legal custody of
a grandchild pursuant to 23 Pa. C.S. §5313 (b) must plead,
in paragraph 7 of the complaint set forth at
Rule 1915.15(a), facts establishing the elements of a cause
of action under §§ 5313(b)(1), (2) and (3).
(a) Scope. This rule shall govern the procedure by which a
putative father may initiate a civil action to establish
paternity and seek genetic testing. Such an action shall
not be permitted if an order already has been entered as to
the paternity, custody or support of the child, or if a
support or custody action to which the putative father is a
party is pending.
(b) Venue. An action may be brought only in the county in
which the defendant or the child(ren) reside.
(c) Commencement of Action. An action shall be initiated by
filing a verified complaint to establish paternity and for
genetic testing substantially in the form set forth in
subdivision (1) below. The complaint shall have as its
first page the Notice of Hearing and Order set forth in
(1) The complaint filed in a civil action to establish
paternity shall be substantially in the following form:
Plaintiff, ________, requests genetic testing to establish
paternity pursuant to 23 Pa.C.S. §4343 and in support of
that request states that:
3. Defendant is the natural mother and Plaintiff believes
that he may be the natural father of the following
7. There is/is not a custody, support or other action
involving the paternity of the above-named child(ren) now
pending in any jurisdiction. Identify any such actions by
8. There has/has not been a determination by any court as
to the paternity of the child(ren) in any prior support,
custody, divorce or any other action. If so, identify the
9. Plaintiff agrees to pay all costs associated with
genetic testing directly to the testing facility in
Wherefore, Plaintiff requests that the court order
Defendant to submit to genetic testing and to make the
child(ren) available for genetic testing.
I verify that the statements made in this complaint are
true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information
and belief. I understand that false statements herein are
made subject to the penalties of 18 Pa.C.S §4904 relating
(2) The Notice of Hearing and Order required by this rule
YOU HAVE BEEN SUED IN COURT. If you wish to defend against
the claims set forth in the following papers, you must
appear at the hearing scheduled below. If you fail to do
so, the case may proceed against you and a final order may
be entered against you granting the relief requested by the
______ day of ______, 20__ at __m. in courtroom ______ for a
hearing on Plaintiff's request for genetic testing. If you
fail to appear as ordered, the court may enter an order in
your absence requiring you and your child(ren) to submit to
YOU SHOULD TAKE THIS PAPER TO YOUR LAWYER AT ONCE. IF YOU
DO NOT HAVE A LAWYER, GO TO OR TELEPHONE THE OFFICE SET
ABOUT HIRING A LAWYER. IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO HIRE A
LAWYER, THIS OFFICE MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH
The Court of Common Pleas of ______ County is required by
law to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act
of 1990. For information about accessible facilities and
reasonable accommodations available to disabled individuals
having business before the court, please contact our
office. All arrangements must be made at least 72 hours
prior to any hearing or business before the court. You must
attend the scheduled conference or hearing.
(d) Service. Service of original process and proof of
service in a civil action to establish paternity shall be
in accordance with Rule 1930.4.
(e) Hearing and Order. At the hearing, the judge will
determine whether or not the plaintiff is legally entitled
to genetic testing and, if so, will issue an order
directing the defendant and the child(ren) to submit to
genetic testing, the cost of which shall be borne by the