Legal Question in Family Law in Massachusetts

Re: Biological Fathers Legal Responsibilities

Maybe not. A concept called "laches" might play a role here!! Serious delay and serious prejudice to you caused by the extreme delay.

If there had been a court order 16 years ago commanding you to pay child support and you had not paid it, you would be responsible.

Here, however, there has been no court order.

Also, child support is paid to the custodial parent to support the child. Often the money is used for mom's hair salon and her clothes and not for the child, but there is no accountability.

In other words, there is no obligation to the child -- despite all the rhetoric. There is only the financial obligation to the woman with whom you mated.

Here you are saying the child wants the money. You are not saying that the mother seeks it. There is a difference.

To give you a better answer, I'd have to research the issue, since I haven't looked at it in a long while. But I think it would be one helluva case!

Re: Biological Fathers Legal Responsibilities

Yes.