Section 17 – Genetic Marker Tests; Affidavit; Refusal to Submit to Test; Costs
Section 17. In an action under this chapter to establish paternity of a child born out of wedlock, the court shall, on motion of a party and upon a proper showing except as provided in this section, order the mother, the child and the putative father to submit to one or more genetic marker tests […]
Section 18 – Judgments or Orders of Support; Enforcement
Section 18. Each judgment or order of support which is issued, reviewed or modified pursuant to this chapter shall conform to and shall be enforced in accordance with the provisions of chapter one hundred and nineteen A.
Section 19 – Judgment or Temporary Order of Support; Enforcement
Section 19. A judgment of support issued in conclusion of a proceeding under this chapter or a temporary support order issued under this chapter may be enforced with one or more of the following methods: (1) contempt in accordance with sections thirty-four and thirty-four A of chapter two hundred and fifteen; (2) execution of the […]
Section 20 – Modification of Judgments; Jurisdiction
Section 20. A court with original jurisdiction pursuant to section three has continuing jurisdiction, upon a complaint filed by a person or agency entitled to file original actions, to modify judgments of support, custody or visitation; provided however, that no modification concerning custody or visitation shall be granted unless the court finds that a substantial […]
Section 5 – Persons Entitled to Maintain Actions or Execute Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage; Parties
Section 5. (a) Complaints under this chapter to establish paternity, support, visitation or custody of a child may be commenced by the mother, whether a minor or not; by a person presumed to be or alleging himself to be the father, whether a minor or not; by the child, whether a minor or not; by […]
Section 6 – Presumption of Paternity; Mandatory Joinder
Section 6. (a) In all actions under this chapter a man is presumed to be the father of a child and must be joined as a party if: (1) he is or has been married to the mother and the child was born during the marriage, or within three hundred days after the marriage was […]
Section 7 – Representation in Paternity Actions; Appointment of Counsel; Burden of Proof
Section 7. Actions under this chapter shall be civil actions. The IV–D agency, as set forth in chapter one hundred and nineteen A, may appear on behalf of a plaintiff in an action to establish paternity. In actions in which custody or visitation are contested, court may appoint counsel to represent either party whenever the […]
Section 8 – Judgment of Paternity; Age of Father; Notice
Section 8. On complaint to establish paternity, the court shall make a judgment establishing or not establishing paternity which shall be determinative for all purposes. Upon default of the defendant or his failure to personally appear, the court shall make a judgment establishing paternity if a showing is made that the complaint was served in […]
Section 9 – Judgment or Order for Support; Health Insurance; Financial Statement; Determination of Amount; Notice
Section 9. (a) If the court finds that a parent is chargeable with the support of a child, the court shall make an order in accordance with subsection (c) requiring a parent to pay weekly or at other fixed periods a sum for and toward the current support and maintenance of such child. The court […]
Section 10 – Award of Custody; Criteria
Section 10. (a) Upon or after an adjudication or voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, the court may award custody to the mother or the father or to them jointly or to another suitable person as hereafter further specified as may be appropriate in the best interests of the child. In awarding custody to one of the […]