Michigan Paternity Law

This page about Michigan paternity laws is provided as general information only. Journey Genetic Testing does not provide legal advice or representation. We encourage you to research your state laws for the most current information, or contact a family law attorney.

Michigan Paternity Law: Chapter 722 THE PATERNITY ACT Act 205 of 1956

722.712 Child born out of wedlock; liability of parents.

Sec. 2.

(1) The parents of a child born out of wedlock are liable for the necessary support and education of the child. They are also liable for the child’s funeral expenses. Subject to subsections (2) and (3), based on each parent’s ability to pay and on any other relevant factor, the court may apportion, in the same manner as medical expenses of the child are divided under the child support formula, the reasonable and necessary expenses of the mother’s confinement and expenses in connection with her pregnancy between the parents and require the parent who did not pay the expense to pay his or her share of the expense to the other parent. At the request of a person other than a parent who has paid the expenses of the mother’s confinement or expenses in connection with her pregnancy, the court may order a parent against whom the request is made to pay to the person other than a parent the parent’s share of the expenses.

(2) If a pregnancy or a complication of a pregnancy has been determined in another proceeding to have been the result of either a physical or sexual battery by a party to the case, the court shall apportion these expenses to the party who was the perpetrator of the battery.

(3) If medicaid has paid the confinement and pregnancy expenses of a mother under this section, the court shall not apportion confinement and pregnancy expenses to the mother. After the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection, based on the father’s ability to pay and any other relevant factor, the court may apportion not more than 100% of the reasonable and necessary confinement and pregnancy costs to the father. If medicaid has not paid the confinement and pregnancy expenses of the mother under this section, the court shall require an itemized bill for the expenses upon request from the father before an apportionment is made.

(4) The court order shall provide that if the father marries the mother after the birth of the child and provides documentation of the marriage to the friend of the court, the father’s obligation for payment of any remaining unpaid confinement and pregnancy expenses is abated subject to reinstatement after notice and hearing for good cause shown, including, but not limited to, dissolution of the marriage. The remaining unpaid amount of the confinement and pregnancy expenses owed by the father is abated as of the date that documentation of the marriage is provided to the friend of the court.

(5) Each confinement and pregnancy expenses order entered by the court on or before the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection shall be considered by operation of law to provide for the abatement of the remaining unpaid confinement and pregnancy expenses if the father marries the mother and shall be implemented under the same circumstances and enforced in the same manner as for the abatement of confinement and pregnancy expenses provided by subsection (4).

(6) The court shall admit in proceedings under this act a bill for funeral expenses, expenses of the mother’s confinement, or expenses in connection with the mother’s pregnancy, which bill constitutes prima facie evidence of the amount of those expenses, without third party foundation testimony.

(7) If the father dies, an order of filiation or a judicially approved settlement made before his death is enforceable against his estate in the same manner and way as a divorce decree.

(8) As used in this section, “medicaid” means the medical assistance program administered by the state under section 105 of the social welfare act, 1939 PA 280, MCL 400.105.
History: 1956, Act 205, Eff. Aug. 11, 1956 ;– Am. 1998, Act 113, Eff. Aug. 10, 1998 ;– Am. 2004, Act 204, Eff. Oct. 1, 2004 ;– Am. 2004, Act 253, Eff. Oct. 1, 2004

722.714 Paternity proceeding; parties; venue; action not required; commencement of action; statute of limitations; initiating and conducting proceedings; utilization of child support formula; verification of complaint; charge; summons; default judgment; genetic paternity testing; next friend or guardian ad litem; rights of indigent defendant; order of filiation.

Sec. 4.

(1) An action under this act shall be brought in the circuit court by the mother, the father, a child who became 18 years of age after August 15, 1984 and before June 2, 1986, or the family independence agency as provided in this act. The Michigan court rules for civil actions apply to all proceedings under this act. A complaint shall be filed in the county where the mother or child resides. If both the mother and child reside outside of this state, then the complaint shall be filed in the county where the putative father resides or is found. The fact that the child was conceived or born outside of this state is not a bar to entering a complaint against the putative father.

(2) An action to determine paternity shall not be brought under this act if the child’s father acknowledges paternity under the acknowledgment of parentage act, or if the child’s paternity is established under the law of another state.

(3) An action under this act may be commenced during the pregnancy of the child’s mother or at any time before the child reaches 18 years of age. For a child who became 18 years of age after August 15, 1984 and before June 2, 1986, an action under this act may be commenced before January 1, 1995. This subsection applies regardless of whether the cause of action accrued before June 1, 1986 and regardless of whether the cause of action was barred under this subsection before June 1, 1986. A summons issued under this section shall be in the form the court determines and shall be served in the same manner as is provided by court rules for the service of process in civil actions.

(4) If the county family independence agency of the county in which the mother or alleged father resides first determines that she or he has physical possession of the child and is eligible for public assistance or without means to employ an attorney; if the family independence agency is the complainant; or if the mother, alleged father, or child is receiving services under part D of title IV of the social security act, 42 U.S.C. 651 to 667, then the prosecuting attorney or an attorney employed by the county under section 1 of 1941 PA 15, MCL 49.71, shall initiate and conduct proceedings under this act. The prosecuting attorney shall utilize the child support formula developed under section 19 of the friend of the court act, 1982 PA 294, MCL 552.519, as a guideline in petitioning for child support. A complaint filed under this act shall be verified by oath or affirmation.

(5) The party filing the complaint shall name the person believed to be the father of the child and state in the complaint the time and place, as near as possible, when and where the mother became pregnant. If the family independence agency is the plaintiff, the required facts shall be stated upon information and belief.

(6) Upon the filing of a complaint, the court shall issue a summons against the named defendant. If the defendant does not file and serve a responsive pleading as required by the court rules, the court may enter a default judgment. Neither party is required to testify before entry of a default judgment in a proceeding under this act.

(7) If, after service of process, the parties fail to consent to an order naming the man as the child’s father as provided in this act within the time permitted for a responsive pleading, then the family independence agency or its designee may file and serve both the mother and the alleged father with a notice requiring that the mother, alleged father, and child appear for genetic paternity testing as provided in section 6.

(8) If the mother, alleged father, or child does not appear for genetic paternity testing as provided in subsection (7), then the family independence agency or its designee may apply to the court for an order compelling genetic paternity tests as provided in section 6 or may seek other relief as permitted by statute or court rule.

(9) It is unnecessary in any proceedings under this act commenced by or against a minor to have a next friend or guardian ad litem appointed for the minor unless required by the circuit judge. A minor may prosecute or defend any proceedings in the same manner and with the same effect as if he or she were of legal age.

(10) If a child born out of wedlock is being supported in whole or in part by public assistance, including medical assistance, the family independence agency may file a complaint on behalf of the child in the circuit court in the county in which the child resides. The mother or alleged father of the child shall be made a party plaintiff and notified of the hearing on the complaint by summons. The complaint made by the family independence agency shall be verified by the director of the family independence agency, or his or her designated representative, or by the director of the county family independence agency of the county in which an action is brought, or the county director’s designated representative.

(11) 1986 PA 107, which added this subsection, does not affect the rights of an indigent defendant in proceedings under this act as established by decisions of the courts of this state before June 1, 1986.

(12) If a determination of paternity is made under this act, the court may enter an order of filiation as provided in section 7. Regardless of who commences an action under this act, an order of filiation entered under this act has the same effect, is subject to the same provisions, and is enforced in the same manner as an order of filiation entered on complaint of the mother or father.
History: 1956, Act 205, Eff. Aug. 11, 1956 ;– Am. 1962, Act 238, Eff. Mar. 28, 1963 ;– Am. 1972, Act 98, Eff. Mar. 30, 1973 ;– Am. 1986, Act 107, Eff. June 1, 1986 ;– Am. 1992, Act 289, Eff. Jan. 1, 1993 ;– Am. 1994, Act 388, Imd. Eff. Dec. 29, 1994 ;– Am. 1996, Act 308, Eff. June 1, 1997 ;– Am. 1998, Act 113, Eff. Aug. 10, 1998

Required Probability of Paternity for Michigan Courts: 99%
Required Paternity Index: None

Our legal testing and home paternity test kits are both 100% accurate. All testing done in AABB testing laboratories. For a list of locations where we provide an approved paternity test in the state of Indiana, please click Paternity Testing In Michigan.