What happens with the absent parent?

Once the support order case is filed, our office may schedule an appointment with the absent parent in our office. The court papers will be given to the non-custodial parent and case issues will be explained. A final Order, resolving the case by consent, might be signed at that time. If the absent parent lives far away or out of state, we will send them notice of the case by certified mail. They may then contact us by telephone or mail. At times, it is necessary to arrange for papers to be served by an outside agency if the absent parent does not respond.

Once the papers are served on the absent parent, the absent parent has a little less than a month to respond in writing to the facts alleged in the Complaint. If not, we will ask the Judge to enter a "default order" against the parent to establish paternity and/or child support. Payments will then be collected and obligations enforced by the Friend of the Court (FOC).

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1. What is the Prosecutor's role in establishing paternity in Michigan?
2. Who do I contact at the Eaton County Prosecutor's office?
3. What is paternity?
4. Why is it important to establish paternity?
5. How is legal paternity established?
6. How do I start a paternity case?
7. What happens with the absent parent?
8. How can the father voluntarily acknowledge paternity?
9. Can the Affidavit of Parentage be filed by mail?
10. Is there a fee for filing the Affidavit of Parentage?
11. What if the father refuses to acknowledge paternity?
12. Can a legal father revoke paternity?
13. What if the mother is not sure who her child's father is?
14. When is a DNA test necessary? How is a paternity DNA test done?
15. What does paternity blood testing show?
16. Who pays for the DNA tests?
17. Can the parents do private DNA testing?
18. What happens if the mother or father is not 18?
19. How long after the child is born can paternity be established?
20. When can the father's name be put on the birth certificate?
21. If the parents decide to voluntarily acknowledge paternity, what other steps must be taken?
22. What web sites have Michigan paternity-related information?