Omaha, NE asked in Family Law for Iowa

Q: Can a paternity test be court ordered by the potential father if the mom is unwilling to test, on a 10 year old?

My husbands ex for the past 11yrs has been going back and fourth on whether this kid is his or not. She was pregnant a couple months prior to him starting to date me. She told him it wasn't his kid during the pregnancy and for the first 5-6yrs of the kids life. At that point she started telling his family it was his child. He reached out to her once he heard that requesting to do a DNA test but she continues to refuse to take a test. She now has him blocked from all outlets; social media, phones, etc. The kid is now 10yrs old and my husband finally saw him at one of our sons football games. He looks just like our boys. He asked a lawyer if he could petition for paternity and was told he could try but the kids 10 so the courts can't make her do the test. She's on state assistance. Wouldn't that be committing fraud by lying to them and don't know the dad if you really do? Would he have to pay back child support for 10 yrs if he is? Does he have a chance at any custody after all this time

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