“Is You Is Or Is You Not My Baby, Baby?”
The above song title written by Louis Jordan, of course, is used in a different context when the question is asked in a legal proceeding. From biblical times it is told that Solomon was required to decide the parentage of a child and to the present time, disputes continue over parentage.
Thankfully, science can, in many cases, put the question beyond dispute, following the advent of DNA testing.
When a parentage of a child is at issue under family law proceedings, the Court may require a “parenting testing procedure” to be carried out to help in determining the parentage. Such an order may be made as follows:
- at the request of a party to the proceedings;
- at the request of a party representing a child;
- at the Court’s own initiative.