§398.2. Petition for order to submit to blood or tissue tests prior to bringing filiation action

           A.(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the husband of the mother, prior to filing an action of disavowal of a child born or conceived during his marriage to the mother and prior to the expiration of the time required to file an action of disavowal, may petition a court of proper jurisdiction and venue for an order directing the mother, child, and petitioner to submit to the collection of blood or tissue samples, or both, for determination of paternity for the purpose of exercising rights relating to the child. The filing of the petition suspends the period for bringing the disavowal action for a period of one year from the date the petition is filed.

           (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the alleged biological father of a child born outside of marriage, prior to filing any action to establish filiation of the child, may petition a court of proper jurisdiction and venue for an order directing the mother, child, and petitioner to submit to the collection of blood or tissue samples, or both, for determination of paternity for the purpose of exercising rights relating to the child.

           B. The petition authorized in Paragraphs (1) and (2) of Subsection A of this Section shall name the mother as defendant and shall allege specific facts tending to prove the relationship or the circumstances of any physical relationship with the mother, or facts tending to prove paternity, and other facts necessary to establish the jurisdiction and venue of the court.

           C. The court, after contradictory hearing, may order the parties to submit to 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 as provided in this Part.

           D. If the court issues an order directing blood or tissue tests, or both, the provisions of R.S. 9:397 through 397.2 and 397.3(A) and (B) shall be applicable to the selection and compensation of experts, payment of testing costs, establishment of chain of custody, filing of test results in the court record, and authority of the court to order additional tests if it finds there has been a procedural error in the administration of the tests.

           E. The court shall not make a determination of paternity based on the test results and conclusions of the experts filed in the record; however, the test results shall be admissible in any subsequent action filed by any of the parties relating to filiation of the child.

           F. The provisions of this Section shall not in any manner affect the status of a child whose legal father is the husband of the mother who does not timely disavow paternity of the child nor affect any right that a child may have to file an action of filiation as provided by law.

           Acts 1995, No. 1206, §1; Acts 2004, No. 26, §5; Acts 2006, No. 344, §4, eff. June 13, 2006.