If you are confronted with the paternity of a child out of wedlock and believe the child is yours, don’t make the mistake of agreeing to paternity and child support without a blood test. This harsh lesson was surely learned by Terrence Jones.
Terrence was involved with Annette Mallett. Annette gave birth to a child. Terrence was named on the birth certificate and he entered into a “Stipulated Agreement of Support and Admission of Paternity” and agreed to pay child support.
Ten years later, acting upon suspicion he may not be the father, he obtained DNA testing which excluded him as the father. He applied to the Chancellor to have the paternity “disestablished,” but the Chancellor refused because Terrence had signed the prior order establishing paternity. The matter was affirmed. Jones v. Mallett, No. 2012-CA-00385-SCT (11/14/13)