A paternity petition may be filed by:
The child’s mother
A pregnant woman
A man who believes he is the biological father of the child
A child who is 18 years old -- the petition must be filed within 1 - 5 years of turning 18
A guardian of a child with the authority to act legally on behalf of the child
If the father refuses to take the paternity test, they may be held in contempt of court. There may be fines and a possibility that criminal charges may be filed. If they fail to respond to the court ordered paternity test, a default judgment may be taken against them, meaning that the Court will automatically give the plaintiff the remedy that they were seeking -- the court may deem the refuser to be the father and order them to pay child support.
Paternity may be established any time after the baby leaves the hospital, up until
the child turns 21. If you did not have a father's name on your birth certificate
and you are interested in establishing paternity, then consult my firm right away.