Queen Latifah Doesn’t Want a Show about Paternity Tests

Queen Latifah Doesn't Want a Show about Paternity Tests

As David Letterman interviewed Queen Latifah about her new talk show the actress revealed that she had no desire to delve into the realm of paternity testing. That could be due to the controversial nature of the court system when it comes to determining the rights and responsibilities of a father.

In cases of paternity fraud, the mentality of the courts seem to be skewed. If a man is able to prove that he is not the father of a child of a woman with whom he had relations with, the court can still come after him for financial payments of past due amounts. Laws regarding paternity are archaic and unjust in many forms. Although each state is different, it seems that men are usually the target. It could be a difficult battle to wipe the slate clean if a man is proven he is not the father of a child. How does the court feel justified in victimizing a man in such a manner?

1. Revocation of License - In many states, failure to pay child support can result in the loss of driving privileges until payment is made. Although a paternity test may prove that a man is not the biological father, he can still be held accountable to pay. Even in cases when paternity has been proven that a man is not the father, the state still revoked the license until the child support payment was made.

2. Custody - In some cases, men were denied the right to visitation or other custodial privileges once paternity tests have confirmed that he is not the father. However, child support agencies will still push for the individual to pay support and any back payments thereof. While the courts may side with the father and halt these payments, agencies will still insist on back payments if they are due while revoking the ability to see the child in any fashion.

3. Payments Due - As stated above, some courts will side with the supposed father to an extent. Although he can prove that the child is not his and the support payments can be halted, there is a good chance he will still have to pay any amounts that were past due. Some believe that it's the court's way of providing a child with the means to develop without the worry of income. How stable can a household become if a child was used as a fraud device by the mother?

4. Hiding the Truth - In California of 2004, the Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department requested that the case against a Mr. Navarro be unpublished. The cause for this request was that court of appeal sided with Mr. Navarro in that a statute of limitations did not apply in child paternity cases and reversed the ruling of Mr. Navarro having to pay child support. The LACCSS didn't want other men using this particular case as a premise to free themselves from liabilities that were not their own. The California Supreme Court denied the motion of unpublishing the case. However, it goes to show you how far an agency will go to turn a man's life inside out for money.

5. Garnishments - Many men are faced with a decreased paycheck every Friday. In today's world, garnishments are quite common as it forces a man to pay child support whether he wants to or not. Using a calculated formula, the Department of Human Services gauge how much a man is to pay based on his income and current family status. In many cases, this amount forces the man to work a second job in order to pay the bills in his current situation.

As long as the father contests paternity prior to the child being born, a man stands a better chance to clear his name and financial responsibilities. It is the man's trust in the word of the woman that can cause immense amount of emotional and financial distress later on. As close to 30-percent of paternity cases show the man to not be the biological father. Laws are being changed frequently, but a man could still be on the hook to pay for a child that is not his.

Posted by Kade Quinn on Saturday September 07 2013, 2:48 AM EST. Ref: Huffington Post. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Entertainment, Featured News. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0