Legal Question in Family Law in Tennessee

Re: paternity issue

Yes. You should reply to the letter. Paternity of a child is a serious matter, because a court can find you owe child support even if you are not present. I would write and tell them you are happy to cooperate in a paternity test. It should involve you going to a medical clinic and getting a q-tip cotton swab of your inside cheek to pick up some cells. In Tennessee, if the paternity test is negative, the state pays for it. If it is positive, the father has to pay for the test, which cost a recent client $146.

Mike Guth

Re: paternity issue

Where do your parents live. Do you live with them? Was an Order entered in Maryland? These questions would need to be answered first before I could answer your questions. However, regarding your question of whether Tennessee has a law that says if you don't respond they will call you the father anyway, I believe what you are referring to is a situation where the person has been properly served and he does not respond, then the Court can enter an Order by "default". I need the addition information to evaluate whether it appears you were properly served.