Paternity Case Against “The Bieb”

Last week’s family law news in America was dominated by two celebrity stories. First, Kim Kardashian filed for divorce a mere 72 days after her $10 million wedding. Then came the second big case which was a paternity action filed against teenage singing phenom Justin Bieber, AKA “The Bieb”. The Bieb’s zillions of fans reacted swiftly and social networks and news outlets were flooded with outraged commenters who couldn’t wait to shred apart the accuser Mariah Yeater. Even a death threat or two have been reported which is actually nothing new for The Bieb’s fans. Yes the tweeners do seem to get out of control!

Now there are reports that a leader in the Father’s Rights movement, Chicago attorney Jeffery Leving has joined Ms. Yeater’s legal team. A huge move in this case since Bieber’s attorneys, according to TMZ, have already announced their intent to “make an example” of Ms. Yeater by filing a defamation suit against her when the DNA test results prove that Mr. Bieber is not the father of her young son.

“Sources say Bieber and his team think it’s important to file a lawsuit against Yeater to show there are consequences when somebody trumps up phony, hurtful allegations against a celebrity.”

What’s the role of the court in this case? Right now not much if it’s true that Justin Bieber will voluntarily take the DNA test when he returns to Los Angeles from his trip to Europe.

“The judge has to weigh two things: Bieber’s right to privacy versus the child’s right to know who the father is,” Los Angeles family law attorney Steve Mindel, who is not involved with the case, told People Magazine. “Unless the judge thinks the woman made everything up, the court will likely order the test as the quickest resolution.”

The plot thickens yet again with these comments from Ms. Yeater’s ex-boyfriend, John Terranova, who thinks the whole thing is a “scam.”

Terranova told the New York Post that Yeater had previously accused him of being the father of her baby, a claim he said was “impossible” due to the timing of their relationship and when she got pregnant.

“I know it’s not Justin Bieber,” Terranova said. “She just wants money. It’s a scam.”

Nonetheless, Yeater’s lawyers said in a statement last week that they have “credible evidence” Bieber is the father. The lawyers add, “The paternity suit was filed in good faith and it will continue despite the threats.”

The bottom line is that the child has a right to know who his father is and a DNA test is the next step. If you have a paternity issue in Maryland that you would like to discuss, please call the Patrick Crawford family law firm in Annapolis. We offer a free 30-minute consultation where we can discuss the details of your case and help you to decide your course of action.