Child Support Enforcement Agency 

Paternity Establishment

Why should I establish paternity for my child?

• Once the father-child relationship is established,  the CSEA can begin pursuing a child support order;                                                

• Every child deserves to know the identity of their father;

• Knowledge of the father's family medical history could provide important information in the event the child becomes seriously ill or injured;          

• If the father becomes disabled or dies, the child could receive disability or death benefits.

In what cases is genetic testing needed?

• The CSEA can schedule genetic testing to determine if a man is the father of a child, in cases where the child was born our of wedlock and no paternity documents have been filed;

• If the child was born during marriage or if paternity was previously established, the CSEA cannot proceed with genetic testing;

• The CSEA cannot open a child support case prior to the birth of the child

How is genetic testing done?

Paternity is established through comparison of DNA obtained from the child, the mother and the alleged father.  Genetic material is obtained from the parties using a buccal swab on the inside of each person's cheek.  Occasionally, a blood sample is used to perform genetic testing.  There is no minimum aged for a child to be tested through the buccal swab method.

Who can request that paternity be established?

• Either parent may request establishment of paternity;

• In circumstances where a man believes he may be the father of a child, he may wish to legally establish a father - child relationship.

How do I get genetic testing for my child?

• File an application for child support services with the CSEA;

• If the CSEA determines that paternity needs established, genetic testing will be scheduled.

When and where will the test be performed?

• The CSEA will schedule testing as soon as possible;

• Testing will not be scheduled until after the alleged father is located;

• Parties will report to the local health department, at the scheduled time, for samples to be taken;

• If an alleged father does not reside reasonably close to Holmes County, his testing will be scheduled at a site closer to his home;

• All samples are shipped to the genetic testing lab for comparison.

When will I receive the results?

The results will be received by the CSEA, usually within 4 - 6 weeks.  If the results indicate a 99% or higher probability that the alleged father is the father of the child, the CSEA will issue an order establishing paternity.

If the results indicate a probability less than 99% that the alleged father is the father of the child, the CSEA will issue an order indicating that the alleged father has been excluded as the father of the child.  

The mother and alleged father will receive a copy of the paternity order along with the genetic test results.

Can I obtain genetic testing if the child was born during the marriage or if paternity has already been established?

The CSEA cannot schedule genetic testing on any case in which paternity has already been established.  We recommend that you contact an attorney for further assistance.