23 and me in Custody Cases
Where do I come from? Am I a descendant of royalty? Do I have any relatives I have yet to meet? Am I predisposed to any potential diseases? These are all questions people are asking themselves. We now have the means to answer these questions. With companies like 23 and me and Ancestry, people are now more than ever connected with their relatives. What happens when that connection turns into a custody battle?
In some instances, the DNA test has revealed that the family a person thought they belonged to is not genetically the case. What happens then? What if there are children, who has what custody rights and how do you exercise those rights?
A custody battle can ensue when someone other than the child’s biological father has been raising the child as his own. If a DNA test reveals that a child is biologically that of a third party, there are custody implications that could result in a drawn out custody case.
Custody battles can be difficult. There are normally two people with different views on how to raise a child battling over how much time the child should spend with each party. In the case where there is a new-found biological father, that battle can be even worse as there are now three interested parties rather than the typical two.
There are legal custody rights, the right to make important decisions in the child’s life. This includes medical, religious and educational decisions. Then you also have physical custody rights, the right to spend time with the child. Both of these rights can be impacted by a custody case stemming from a DNA test.
The first thing to do is get a consultation with a family lawyer. They will advise you of your rights. They can also help negotiate an agreement with the other parent. Most importantly they can help you go through the court process to protect your rights as a parent.
Don’t be left out of the parenting equation. If you or someone you know is in this situation, remember to contact an experienced family lawyer. The lawyers at LaMonaca Law can assist you in this situation. LaMonaca Law is a family law firm that will educate you, protect your rights and develop a successful plan to achieve your desired goals. Call LaMonaca Law at 610-892-3877 to schedule an initial consultation.
