§ 110-130. Action by the designated representatives of the county commissioners. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 110‑130.  Actionby the designated representatives of the county commissioners.

Any county interested in the paternity and/or support of a dependentchild may institute civil or criminal proceedings against the responsibleparent of the child, or may take up and pursue any paternity and/or supportaction commenced by the mother, custodian or guardian of the child. Such actionshall be undertaken by the designated representative in the county where themother of the child resides or is found, in the county where the father residesor is found, or in the county where the child resides or is found. Any legalproceeding instituted under this section may be based upon information orbelief. The parent of the child may be subpoenaed for testimony at the trial ofthe action to establish the paternity of and/or to obtain support for the childeither instituted or taken up by the designated representative of the countycommissioners. The husband‑wife privilege shall not be grounds forexcusing the mother or father from testifying at the trial nor shall saidprivilege be grounds for the exclusion of confidential communications betweenhusband and wife. If a parent called for examination declines to answer uponthe grounds that his testimony may tend to incriminate him, the court mayrequire him to answer in which event he shall not thereafter be prosecuted forany criminal act involved in the conception of the child whose paternity is inissue and/or for whom support is sought, except for perjury committed in this testimony.(1975, c. 827, s. 1; 1977,2nd Sess., c. 1186, s. 4; 1985, c. 410.)