Conjoined Twins Husband in Paternity Case with His Ex-Wife

Abby Hensel and her sister, Brittany Hensel, are conjoined twins. The two sisters share a single body with separate heads and necks. They also have separate major organs such as hearts and lungs. They made news last October when Abby Hensel married Jose Bowling. The conjoined twins first became famous in 1996 when they appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show. The Hensels are now elementary school teachers.  

Josh Bowling still has certain issues from his first marriage though. Annica Bowling and Josh Bowling were married in 2010 and separated in 2019. They share joint custody of their daughter, Isabella Bowling, who is now 8 years old. In 2020, Annica had another daughter, who is now three years old. Annica has filed a paternity suit in Minnesota Family Court against Josh and another man named Gavin Vatnsdal.  

Legal Paternity  

Paternity is a legal claim that establishes a man’s presumed relationship with their child. If paternity is established, a father may share legal custody of the child and must pay child support. The child can also be added to the father’s insurance benefits. DNA tests are the primary method of establishing or challenging paternity in court.  

However, biological paternity alone is not sufficient to establish legal paternity. A court can determine that a man other than the biological father is the legal father – this may occur if the mother is married but another man is the biological father. Some courts may find that the husband is the legal father in order to preserve the marriage.  

Alternatively, the court may recognize a man as a child’s father if the man has generally raised the child and presented himself as the child’s father to the world. If a man is already acting as a father, the de facto father can petition the court to be recognized as the legal father.   

If Josh Bowling is the father, it is likely that he and Annica would have a similar custody agreement to the one they have for Isabella. The parents share legal custody of their children and must agree on important legal decisions for their child, including education and health-related decisions. The parents would have to share physical custody and the parents would share time with the children. For instance, Isabella would spend some time with Josh Bowling and his new bride and some time with Annica.  

Is There a Way to Reverse a Paternity Decision?  

A birth certificate may be amended pursuant to a court order. If a party disagrees with a ruling, they may appeal a court’s judgment. However, once paternity is established, adoption is often the only way for a parent to relinquish their rights and obligations as a parent. Each state will have their own procedures to reverse a paternity decision, but such processes are difficult once a court has ruled on paternity.  

Do I Need a Lawyer for My Family Law Issue? 

If you have difficulty seeing your child as the holidays approach, you should contact a family lawyer today. A skilled family lawyer can answer your questions, provide guidance on your case, and represent your best interests in court.