Certainly, you would have to be living under a rock not to be aware that the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24. Prior to that date, all states had to follow federal law which allowed for abortions. Once Roe v. Wade was overturned, the Supreme Court then turned over issues related to abortion to the states. Each state could then determine what their own law would be.
Some states followed a more European formula of allowing abortions within the first 14 to 16 weeks. Other states, called “trigger states” banned abortion entirely.
Rather than follow the European formula of abortions at 14 to 16 weeks, and rather than following a total ban of abortion, Ohio made a decision to allow abortions within the first six weeks of pregnancy.
So, how does this relate to issues of child support?
First, parents need to be aware that if their minor child is the parent to the baby, the adult parents can be held responsible for paying child support for their grandchild on behalf of their minor child.
Further, with one law expanding, or contracting, often other laws will go through a change as well. Under Ohio law, child support currently cannot be ordered by the court until a child is born and paternity is established. However, that law did not take into account the fact that genetic testing could become more sophisticated. Earlier, DNA testing could not be done until a child was born. However, in today’s society, genetic testing, also known as DNA testing can be determined at nine weeks of pregnancy.
Now that science has expanded its ability, the question that should be posed is that if child support can be determined during the prenatal stage of a child’s life, should the pregnant woman be entitled to come forward to court or through child support services and request child-support services for the unborn child to assist in medical costs and housing?
If you find yourself in need of a child support attorney, consider hiring our team. With the law firm of Joseph & Joseph & Hanna, you’ll have a whole team behind you.
To schedule a confidential consultation, please contact our office at 614-449-8282.