Asked in Family Law and Child Support for North Carolina

Q: Can I be forced to pay child support in NC for a child that's not mine but my name is on the birth certificate?

My ex told me after we broke up that she was pregnant and that her unborn child was mine and that there was absolutely no one else who could be the child's father. I took her at her word and when the child was born, I signed the birth certificate. We never got back together but I would see the child from time to time and would help financially whenever I could. About a year or two it was revealed to me that there is another man who is more than likely the child's father. I distanced myself from the situation. Now, she or DSS has filed for child support against me. I do not believe this child is mine. Can I be forced to pay child support?

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1 Lawyer Answer
Amanda Bowden Johnson
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Answered
  • Jacksonville, NC
  • Licensed in North Carolina

A: The short answer is - yes. If you don't want to be on the hook for child support, you will need to take steps to have paternity determined and to have child support stopped if it has been court ordered. Your best bet is likely to consult with a local family law attorney who can review you specific situation in more detail and lay out your options for you. Best of luck.

Mr. Albert Loch Saslow agrees with this answer

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