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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>57689</law_id><section_number>20-61.3</section_number><catch_line>Consequences of a putative father failing to appear</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="20">Domestic Relations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="5">Desertion and Nonsupport</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>If a putative father fails to appear after having been personally served with notice, in accordance with the provisions of subdivision 1 of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Manner of serving process upon natural persons" href="/8.01-296/">8.01-296</a> or &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Personal service outside of Virginia" href="/8.01-320/">8.01-320</a>, alleging that he is the father of a <span class="dictionary">minor</span> child, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall proceed in <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> in the case as provided in Chapter 3.1 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="How parent and child relationship established" href="/20-49.1/">20-49.1</a> et seq.) of Title 20 as if the putative father were present. The <span class="dictionary">order</span> of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> in any such proceedings shall be served upon the father in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 8 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definition of certain terms used in this chapter; process, return, statutory agent" href="/8.01-285/">8.01-285</a> et seq.) or Chapter 9 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Person defined" href="/8.01-328/">8.01-328</a> et seq.) of Title 8.01.</p></section></text><history>1988, cc. 867, 894; 1994, c. 869.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
