Overview

• Family Court Judge Vincent Ochoa on Wednesday granted a default ruling declaring 26-year-old Logan Gifford the legal father of his 16-year-old brother and set custody based on Gifford’s caregiving role.
• Standard testing from Labcorp showed a 99.9% paternity likelihood for both Gifford and his father, Theodore, leaving biological parentage unresolved.
• Ochoa said Theodore Gifford declined to participate in the case, leading the court to issue the default determination.
• Doreene Gifford, on parole and living in Massachusetts, appeared by video, maintained Theodore was the father, and said she could not continue the case emotionally or mentally.
• Gifford’s attorney said Labcorp had no further confirmatory options and that specialized genetic testing remains possible but would cost thousands of dollars.