My question involves paternity law for the State of: Michigan
I am an adult age 35. My mother was married when I was conceived, but she was separated (though not legally) from her husband at the time. Because she had "relations" with both her husband and someone else within the same month, and since Michigan law required her to do so, she listed her husband as the father on my birth certificate. This to her just seemed the right thing to do rather than bring up a potential paternity mess and bring attention to the fact she had been with someone else. As such, she never told the other man of her pregnancy as it was only a "fling" and he'd actually left the state shortly after. Anyway, my mother and her husband never reconcilled/moved back in together (he actually disappeared and never paid her support for me or my sister who was definitely his), and so one year later she divorced her husband. It wasnt until 22 years later that I learned that someone else could be my potential bio father, so I hunted down the name she gave me and asked the man to do a paternity test. Though he was shocked that he might have a daughter he never knew about, he agreed wholeheartedly and even paid for the test. It was a cheek swab sent into an online company. We received the results stating that I was a 99% chance of being his daughter. Today, after having my own child, and getting to know my father and paternal family over the last 13 years, my father and I decided that we should change my birth certificate to reflect the correct father. Mostly for peace of mind, in addition to just making sure things are correctly reflected for historical/genealogical purposes- both for my son and future generations. The father listed on my birth record has been contacted and has agreed to our removing his name. My father agrees to be added. My mother agrees to everything we want to do. The problem is the state wont remove the incorrect father without a court order. Michigan Paternity Act doesnt allow disestablishment of paternity actions beyond the child's age of 22. I have read that some people on other states have submitted a Stipulation and Order to the court since all parties agree, to add the language to the 1978 divorce decree that I was not a "product of the marraige". But 1) I dont know if that will work in Michigan and 2) since it is so old of a divorce case, will I just be wasting my effort? If that doesnt work another idea I had would be to have my Dad file a Civil Complaint against my mother but I dont want her to be treated as she defrauded the system since she tried to collect support from her husband knowing I might not be his. He never paid of course but she still received welfare from the state to take care of us. So my worry is that something might come back on her or my bio father for owing the state for the assistance she received. I *might* be able to afford an attorney if it didnt cost thousands, but I would really like to try and do this myself. It just makes no sense that the state would not allow us to correct information on a birth record even when all parties agree and we have a DNA report...! Any advice on how to proceed would be welcome. Thank you.

