Sometimes, a Minnesota father may not be ready to take responsibility of a child he may not think he fathered. A mother may not be willing to share custody of the child and may refuse to recognize the rights of the biological father. These cases are often solved with a paternity test. If paternity is proven, the mother will be awarded child support, while the father can claim child custody and visitation rights. Recently, a second lawsuit was filed against Beyoncé’s father, claiming that he is the father of a four-year-old girl.
According to sources, a woman has claimed that he is the father of her child and is requesting a paternity test, which can be used to prove that her daughter, who was born in 2010, is the singer’s half-sibling. She has also claimed that the singer’s father should provide child support and pay her attorney fees.
This is not the first time Beyoncé’s father has faced a paternity suit. Four years ago, an actress filed a paternity suit against him, where he subsequently agreed to paternity of the boy and the court ordered him to pay more than $10,000 per month in child support. However, since his income has declined over a period of time, the child support was modified to a little more than $2,000 per month. A second successful paternity suit would severely tax his income.
In cases where the paternity is contested, the person may voluntarily submit to DNA testing or the court may order the test. Once paternity is proved, the court may order the person to pay child support. This order can also be used to establish custody and visitation schedules. These lawsuits may affect the person’s future to a great extent so they should be handled carefully. Knowledge of Minnesota family law and procedure may be beneficial to the Maple Grove parties involved to make correct decisions.
Source: NY Daily News, “Beyonce’s dad Mathew Knowles hit with second paternity suit: report,” Zayda Rivera, July 8, 2014