Missouri Supreme Court Denies DNA Paternity Proof

Recently Cynthia Fox wrote in the St. Louis Suburban Journals that — “Not long ago, Missouri’s Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, handed down a potentially significant decision in a case that began as a simple paternity matter, but evolved into a criminal case where fundamental tenets of American law such as the presumption of innocence and guilt beyond a reasonable doubt came under question.”

The case is extreme, but in real life it boils down to a man was found to be the father of a child that wasn’t his.  He had a civil judgement against him.  A prosecuting attorney brought a crimminal case against the man for non-support.  And the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri denied this man the opportunity to have a DNA test exhonerate him.

Near the end of her article Ms. Fox stated, “As someone who has chased after many a deadbeat dad, my first reaction was: “Yahoo, the ‘good guys’ won!” Yet, as the case lingered in my mind, that changed to: “But, at what price?” Three Supreme Court judges dissented, including Chief Justice Wolff. Their concern was that the presumption of innocence accorded criminal defendants and the requirement of proof beyond a reasonable doubt were being set aside.”

What isn’t said in this article that in both 2007 and again in 2008 bills were introduced in the Missouri House and Senate that would have ended Paternity Fraud in Missouri.  These laws would Make the Real Dad Pay while protecting innocent men who are being bankrupted by a broken legal system.

It’s time to call your State Representative, Write your State Senator, and demand that Missouri join the many states who now are more concerned with Making the Real Dad Pay instead of persecuting innocent families.