More dads are discovering—sometimes after years of payments—that they were misled about paternity.
Tennessee has responded with a criminal offense for parentage fraud and a path to recover lost funds. Here’s the straight talk on where the law stands today and what to do next.
First, the headline
Tennessee made “parentage fraud” a crime in 2023. In 2024, lawmakers added mandatory restitution and gave victims a civil cause of action to recover additional money they had paid due to the lie. These reforms are live now.
Plain English: if someone knowingly lies to establish paternity, they can be prosecuted, ordered to pay back child support they caused you to pay, and sued for other support you sent because of the fraud.
What exactly is “parentage fraud”?
Under Tenn. Code § 39-14-111, a person commits parentage fraud if they try to legally establish someone as a child’s biological parent (or establish themselves as the parent) knowing or having reason to know that’s not true, typically to deprive someone of property or block the real parent’s rights. The statute is gender-neutral. Anyone who lies can be charged.
There are carve-outs: the offense doesn’t apply in certain rape circumstances, when a child is adopted, or when the alleged victim was the defendant’s spouse at the time.
Status and penalties: The offense took effect July 1, 2023. (The original enactment created the crime; codified penalties appear in the code section above.)
The 2024 upgrade: restitution and a civil lawsuit path
In 2024, Tennessee added teeth:
- Courts must order restitution for the value of any child support the victim paid “in reliance upon the parentage fraud” after a conviction.
- Victims can also file a civil lawsuit to recover other financial support they paid because of the lie (for example, rent or expenses above the court-ordered amount).
- Effective July 1, 2024.
A Tennessee family-law update walks through an example where the mother was convicted criminally, ordered to pay restitution, and then faced a separate civil suit for additional damages. That’s the new two-track accountability the law enables.
Didn’t Tennessee also change the time limits?
Yes. Earlier legislation removed the five-year statute of limitations to challenge a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity (VAP) when there’s fraud, duress, or mistake of fact. That makes it easier to unwind bad paternity determinations that were signed under false pretenses.
What this means if you’re in Tennessee right now
- Criminal accountability exists for lying about paternity. Prosecutors can charge it.
- Financial accountability exists after a conviction, via mandatory restitution, and you can also sue for other losses.
- Procedural relief is stronger because the old five-year clock on challenging a VAP for fraud was lifted.
This is not “about mothers” only. The law is written to hold whoever lies accountable. Keeping it gender-neutral protects kids and honest parents, period.
How to tell if your situation fits
Ask yourself:
- Was there a VAP or court order you signed because you were told you’re the father—without DNA—and you later learned you’re not?
- Was there intentional misrepresentation aimed at establishing you as the legal parent when the person knew or should have known it wasn’t true?
- Did you pay support (formally or informally) because of that misrepresentation?
If the answer is “yes” to these, you may have a criminal complaint and civil claims. The exact strategy depends on your timeline, paperwork, and what evidence you have.
Step-by-step if you suspect parentage fraud
- Get DNA testing lined up. Use an accredited lab. Courts lean on DNA more than stories. If a VAP exists, DNA is the first brick in your wall.
- Talk to counsel and preserve evidence. Screenshots, texts, statements, prior results, and financial records. Frame this for both criminal and civil lanes.
- Challenge the paternity basis if needed. Because the five-year VAP limit no longer blocks fraud challenges, your lawyer can file to set aside any false paternity determination.
- Consider a police report / DA intake. Conviction triggers restitution for court-ordered support paid due to the fraud.
- File a civil claim for the rest. Beyond restitution, sue for other financial support you provided in reliance on the lie.
- Update or terminate support appropriately. Once paternity is corrected, your attorney can move to stop or modify related child support.
FAQs we’re hearing
Is this retroactive? Restitution and civil action tools apply based on the 2024 law’s effective date (July 1, 2024), but your ability to challenge a VAP for fraud is no longer limited to five years.
Does the state automatically pay me back? No. Restitution is ordered after a criminal conviction. Civil recovery requires a lawsuit.
What if I’m the biological father who was kept out? The statute also covers conduct that prevents a child’s real biological parent from exercising rights.
Is there a brand-new 2025 bill? As of August 9, 2025, there’s no 2025 bill rewriting the framework. Accountability comes from the 2023 criminal statute and the 2024 restitution/civil action law already in effect.
What to bring to your attorney
- Any VAP or orders naming you as the father
- DNA test results (or plan to obtain them)
- Proof of payments (support ledgers, bank records, payment receipts)
- Written or digital statements suggesting deception
- A timeline of what you were told and when
Why this matters
Kids have the right to the truth about their parents. Honest parents deserve protection from fraud. Tennessee’s reforms aim to deter lying, repair financial harm, and restore real parent-child relationships. That’s good policy.
The rousing CTA
If this hits home for you, don’t sit on it. Get a DNA plan, preserve your evidence, and talk to counsel. If your facts fit the statute, file the report and pursue restitution. Then go after the rest in civil court. Your money matters. Your name matters. Your kid’s truth matters. Start now.