Many people are familiar with the line, “You are (are not) the father!” The line – often repeated tongue-in-cheek – was made famous by daytime talk show host Maury Povich. Many episodes of the show were centered around participants who were either trying to prove or disprove allegations that they were the parent of a child. At some point during the episode, the results of a paternity test would be revealed to the show participants and the audience the results, with the host delivering his famous line.
The reality for many people, however, is that paternity of a child is anything but entertainment. Proving paternity means a father will have parenting rights, as well as being required to contribute to the financial support of a child. In Illinois, paternity is determined in several ways.
Presumptions of Paternity
The state of Illinois has enacted presumptions of paternity in certain cases where there is a question of who a child’s father is. The state may presume the person is the child’s father in the following situations:
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