The revolution in genetics is changing a lot of things in the law. Today’s L.A. Times has a good article about its impact on family law. Paternity can now be determined with a much greater degrees of accuracy than it previously could be. As a result, we now know that a significant number of child support judgments are not based on reality. Finality of judgments is a good thing in theory, but like many theoretical things, reality generally needs to take precedent. At the very least the courts should be open to the idea of reversing these financial injustices. It would be nice if courts could also revisit their preconceptions and stereotypes about men and women, especially in family court proceedings. Men (if the DNA tests are accurate and divine intervention can be ruled out) are apparantly not the only ones who sleep around outside their ‘committed relationships.’ Men and women may be equal in the eyes of the law, but stereotypes still pervade the system to the benefit and harm of both genders.

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