PART I-A.  BLOOD OR TISSUE SAMPLING FOR

DETERMINATION OF PATERNITY

§396.  Authority for test; ex parte orders; use of results

A.(1)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, in any civil action in which paternity is a relevant fact, or in an action en desaveu, the court may, on its own initiative, or shall, under either of the following circumstances, order the mother, child, and alleged father, or the mother's husband or former husband in an action en desaveu, to submit to the collection of blood or tissue samples, or both, and direct that inherited characteristics in the samples, including but not limited to blood and tissue type, be determined by appropriate testing procedures:

(a)  Upon request made by or on behalf of any person whose blood or tissue is involved, provided that such request is supported by a sworn affidavit alleging specific facts which either tend to prove or deny paternity.

(b)  Upon motion of any party to the action made at a time so as not to delay the proceedings unduly.

(2)  If any party refuses to submit to such tests, the court may resolve the question of paternity against such party or enforce its order if the rights of others and the interests of justice so require.

B.(1)  The district attorney, in assisting the Department of Children and Family Services in establishing paternity as authorized by R.S. 46:236.1.1 et seq., may file a motion with a court of proper jurisdiction and venue prior to and without the necessity of filing any other legal proceeding.  Upon ex parte motion of the district attorney and sworn affidavit of the party alleging specific facts tending to prove paternity and other facts necessary to establish the jurisdiction and venue of the court, the court shall issue an ex parte order directing the mother, her husband or former husband, child, and alleged father to appear at a certain date and time to submit to the collection of blood or tissue samples, or both, and shall direct that inherited characteristics in the samples, including but not limited to blood and tissue type, be determined by appropriate testing procedures.  The order shall be personally served upon the alleged father.  If any party refuses to submit to such tests, the court, in a subsequent civil action in which paternity is a relevant fact, may resolve the question of paternity against such party or enforce its order if the rights of others and the interests of justice so require.

(2)  If the written report of the results of the initial testing absolves a party from the allegation of paternity, the district attorney and the department shall be enjoined from initiating any subsequent civil action against that party to establish paternity of the same child.  If the written report fails to absolve a party from the allegation of paternity, such report may be used by the district attorney or the department as evidence against the alleged father in any subsequent civil action for the establishment of paternity or by the alleged father in any subsequent proceeding in which filiation is an issue.

C.(1)  Prior to ordering the alleged father to submit to paternity testing under the provisions of this Section, the court may, upon motion of the alleged father and after a contradictory hearing, order a person presumed to be the father of the child, pursuant to the provisions of the Civil Code, to produce the results of prior blood or tissue testing or to submit to the collection of blood or tissue samples, or both, and direct that inherited characteristics in the samples, including but not limited to blood and tissue type, be determined by appropriate testing procedures.  If the written report of the results of the testing negates the presumption that this person is the father of the child, only then may the court order the alleged father to submit to paternity testing.

(2)  If a presumed father is unknown by the parties or unavailable to submit to testing, then the court shall resolve the matter in the interest of justice in chambers.

Acts 1990, No. 789, §1; Acts 1992, No. 407, §1; Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 6, §1, eff. July 1, 1998; Acts 1999, No. 922, §1; Acts 2003, No. 1068, §9, eff. July 2, 2003; Acts 2006, No. 344, §4, eff. June 13, 2006.