Who can file an action for paternity?
Several people can bring about or defend a paternity action at any time: a child, a legal representative of the child, the natural mother, the estate or legal representative of the mother, if the mother has died or is a minor, a man alleged or alleging himself to be the father, the estate or legal representative of the alleged father, if the alleged father has died or is a minor, the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services, or the county welfare agency, or any person with an interest recognized as justifiable by the court. However, if the issue is raised more than five years after the child attains the age of majority, no such action shall be permitted. Pursuant to the provisions of section 331 of Pub. L. 104-193, the child and other parties in a contested paternity case shall submit to a genetic test upon the sworn request of one of the parties, unless that person has good cause for refusal.
