Missouri Senate Passes DNA Testing Bill for Paternity Cases

The Missouri State Senate has passed legislation that excuses men from having to make child support payments if they use DNA testing to prove they are not the child's father.

Under current laws, a man has only one year to contest his paternity.  If a man doesn't contest paternity within a year's time, his name automatically goes on the child's birth certificate and he is required to make child support payments.

The new law would give a man up to two years to ask the court for a DNA test after a paternity judgment. If the test shows he is not the father, he would be excused of previous child support debt, as well as have criminal nonsupport convictions removed from his record. His name would also be removed from the child's birth certificate.

The bill now moves to the House for voting and approval.

To learn more about paternity laws, contact a family law attorney near you!