What recourse?

[WonderingIf]

Hi all! I live in Ohio. My domestic partner of 14 years and I recently separated. Everything went *pretty* smooth with the break up. She got her stuff, I got mine and we are now living separate lives. My question is about our 11 year old son. Recently, I have reason to believe that I may not be the biological father of my son. I know how to go about finding out because it can all be brought up in our next court hearing.

What I want to know is, if it turns out that I am not the biological father of our son, what recourse would I have? Is there anything that can be done, or what?

Thanks in advanceWhat is the name of your state?

[moburkes]

You will have the recourse not to pay child support and receive visitation.

[ceara19]

Originally Posted by moburkes

You will have the recourse not to pay child support and receive visitation.

Not necessarily. If paternity has already been legally established, he's not going to just be relieved of his responsibility after 11 years.

OP - You have raised the child as your own for the past 11 YEARS. The child has believed that you are his father for the past 11 YEARS. The child's biology has not been a problem for you for the past 11 YEARS. Have you considered what changing things 11 YEARS after the fact will do to the CHILD? Even if you don't, fortunately, for the child, the Judge WILL.

You can always have a PRIVATE DNA test done if you feel as though you just HAVE to know. But if you have been the child's legal father all this time, trying to change that now will only make you look like a heel to the Judge.

[Lara Nadia]

W,

You may or may not be your boy's biological father. But, you are and always have been his father, his dad. You are one of the most important persons in his life. And he probably loves and needs you. Please reconsider. You may want the ties between you and his mother to be cleanly cut. Don't slice too far through though--it could leave painful, permanent scars on your son.

[moburkes]

Originally Posted by ceara19

Not necessarily. If paternity has already been legally established, he's not going to just be relieved of his responsibility after 11 years.

OP - You have raised the child as your own for the past 11 YEARS. The child has believed that you are his father for the past 11 YEARS. The child's biology has not been a problem for you for the past 11 YEARS. Have you considered what changing things 11 YEARS after the fact will do to the CHILD? Even if you don't, fortunately, for the child, the Judge WILL.

You can always have a PRIVATE DNA test done if you feel as though you just HAVE to know. But if you have been the child's legal father all this time, trying to change that now will only make you look like a heel to the Judge.

Thanks for catching my mistake. I thought it said 1 year old son, which is why I responded the way that I did. Oops.