Can I Force a Relative to Get a Paternity Test?

njwife · #1 09-19-2008, 10:00 AM

My question involves paternity law for the State of: NEW JERSEY

My husband and I have been together over 20 years. I was just informed that a family member told someone that my husband fathered her 14 y/o son! I have since compared photos of the two and the resemblance is SHOCKING! My question is: As a wife what are my rights? Can I petition for a paternity test? Also, what if he has been secretly supporting this child behind my back? I know if I ask them they will deny it, especially since they hid it from me for 14 years. Do I have to sit around and wonder for the rest of my life?

cyjeff · #2 09-19-2008, 10:15 AM

Quoting njwife

My question involves paternity law for the State of: NEW JERSEY

My husband and I have been together over 20 years. I was just informed that a family member told someone that my husband fathered her 14 y/o son! I have since compared photos of the two and the resemblance is SHOCKING! My question is: As a wife what are my rights? Can I petition for a paternity test? Also, what if he has been secretly supporting this child behind my back? I know if I ask them they will deny it, especially since they hid it from me for 14 years. Do I have to sit around and wonder for the rest of my life?

You have no right to demand anything of this child.

Being married to his father does not grant you any rights to demand any tests whatsoever.

If your husband is fathering children with family members, you may have bigger problems anyway.

skinny_puppy · #3 09-19-2008, 10:37 AM

I am going to agree with the above poster about the legal aspect of this...

However,

I am going to say this. If this is a family member of your husband then yes, there would more then likely be a family resembelance. Case in point: My nephew looks identical to my husband, however, because of where they both live in the county, there is no possible way my husband fathered the child. They look alike because they are family. Also, my son looks like my brother at that age, however my brother did not father my child. See what I am saying?

Maybe you need to look at the sources before you make rash decisions?

njwife · #4 09-19-2008, 03:03 PM

The family member in question is MINE (niece to be exact) and we look nothing alike. Also, I am caucasian as is my niece while my husband is african american, when looking at her son it's obvious that he's biracial even though the man that my niece says is his father is also caucasian. So, with that said, there should be no reason why her son looks like my husband. Also, in my original post I didn't mention that my niece was having problems with the child about a year ago and my husband offered that the child, our nephew come stay with us. My husband was even willing to pay for the child to attend catholic school. I thought we were just helping out our nephew. Never did I think I might have been taking care of my STEPSON!

M'sta Mikey · #5 09-19-2008, 03:17 PM

Honestly, where is this going and what do you wish to accomplish/gain from it?

Ask him! If he says no, then drop it and move on.
If you don't believe him, then get out of the marriage; a marriage without trust is no marriage at all.

Be very careful as to how you proceed. If you accuse him and come to find out that your suspicions are unfounded, you could find yourself on the receiving end of a very nasty divorce, not to mention possibly alienating every family member you know.

cyjeff · #6 09-19-2008, 06:28 PM

I just want to state for the record, that the water's edge for you is your relationship with your husband.

You are a legal stranger to the child and cannot compel the parents of that child to do ANYTHING... no matter who those parents may be.

If your husband is the father, you have a divorce issue. You cannot insist upon a test of any kind. Your HUSBAND could if he is, indeed, thought to be the father.