[chicagojoe]

My question involves paternity law for the State of: Illinois

I used to date a girl for a short time in 1995, we broke up, life went on.

For 14 years...........

One day in 2008, doorbell rings, its the Sherriff. Is your name Joe ? Yes. Here, you are being sued for paternity.

( I am giving the cliff notes version of the story )

I get a notice from her lawyer a week later with 10 pages of financial information to fill out and give to him. He wanted my bank account numbers and everything - forget that, no way. I threw that stuff in the trash.

I get another notice a month later of a court date. I show up, he tries finding me the father in DEFAULT ! ! Judge says no, he is right here.

Continuance upon continuance, they tell me I have to pay for a DNA test, not her, if I disagree I am the father. Well - why did she wait 14 years ? I disagreed about having to pay for anything, judge set another court date to where he said he would sign a waiver of fees for the dna test, on the second Monday of the month, there was dna testing downstairs in the courthouse.

Go to court today, go in front of the judge to get the waiver, judge says, no - they dont take waivers, you have to pay for it. Then the judge says, "99% of the time when the woman says you are the father, you are"....... unreal.

I tell her attorney that I didn't come to court with any money, and I cannot afford the testing. He said "well, you have a court order to pay for it, that is your damn problem, I have to leave", and left the courthouse.

I didnt have the money to pay for the test, so I left also.

June 3rd is our next status hearing -- what can I do ?

Is there anywhere that offers free dna testing ? Is there something that after 14 years SHE should be responsible to pay for the dna test ? I cant afford an attorney, I dont know what to do.

[jk]

ask the court to order her to pay for it if you are not found to be the father.

Have you spoken to the office/department/whatever that does the DNA tests in the courthouse yourself? You might ask them about the waiver situation. Judges have been wrong before and apparently he thought he was right when he said he would sign a waiver. Check it out yourself.

[chicagojoe]

Judge already said that she would have to "reimburse" me if I am not the father - the problem is coming up with the money to pay for this.

I am really on hard times with the current economic situation, I do not have 500 bucks to spare.

[aaron]

It will cost you a lot more than that if you don't come up with the money, and it turns out that you're not the biological father.

Have you tried contacting legal aid?