[CSM]

“In child support cases, the burden of proof is on the alleged father — the accused — according to Oklahoma statutes.

An alleged father must appear at a child support hearing to request a paternity test. If he does not appear, he is legally designated as the father and child support is established in most cases.”

If this is the case, then what prevents the mother from just picking a name out of the phone book?

[RogerFGay]

If this is the case, then what prevents the mother from just picking a name out of the phone book?

They often do. The welfare system requires "cooperation" in establishing paternity as a condition for eligibility. Many women start by giving names and addresses of men they know or know of and then move to the phone book for more names and addresses. As long as they continue to provide names, the condition of "cooperation" is met.

It happens all the time. It's just not reported much.

What Pierce didn't realize, and what nearly 10 million American men have discovered to their chagrin since the welfare reform legislation of 1996, is that when the government accuses you of fathering a child, no matter how flimsy the evidence, you are one month away from having your life wrecked. source

My response just to correct a factual error