Southern California Family Law Attorney Blog

As some California residents may know, the subject of paternity is often a very emotional one. Usually it involves a man wanting to know if a child is his, or the child’s mother wanting the father to be held accountable for child support. Regardless of the motive, paternity is a serious issue that not only affects the alleged parents, but the child as well.

Right now, former NBA superstar Michael Jordan is the subject of a widely publicized paternity lawsuit. A woman has filed a lawsuit claiming Jordan is the father of her 16-year-old son and asking courts to order him to take a paternity test. She is also requesting child support from Jordan and to have her son’s last name changed to Jordan. Jordan is vehemently denying the allegations. He has asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed.

To support his argument that the paternity suit should be dismissed, Jordan’s lawyer pointed to the woman’s 2003 divorce. According to the divorce papers, the woman and her ex-husband had one child together — her 16-year-old son. The divorce agreement also ordered her ex to pay child support and granted him visitation. The woman signed the document acknowledging that everything in it was true.

Because the father of this boy seems to have been established 10 years ago, if not at the child’s birth, the courts may decide that Jordan does not have to submit to a paternity test. A situation like this, however, can harm a person’s reputation and be difficult for the child in question, which is why working with an experienced attorney is often advisable. It will be interesting to see how this case unfolds.

Source: CBS 8, "Michael Jordan wants paternity lawsuit dismissed," Kate Brumback and Steve Reed, March 4, 2013