A new law took effect in January, 2016 that allows people born before 1976 but never acknowledged by a natural parent to verify who their father is. People will also be entitled to a share in any inheritance claims, if a court confirms paternity.
Counsellor of legislation Salla Silvola tells regional paper Keskisuomalainen that the current figure of some one hundred suits may rise considrably.
"The original bill proposal from 2014 stated that there would be an increase of some dozens of cases annually," she says. "But the fact is that we may see double the amount of paternity suits once long-running cases are resolved."
The right to an inheritance share typically expires after ten years. The new law also delimits the right if the heritable person has died before the end of 2012.
Paternity suits brought to court justify the verification of paternity when fatherhood is not defined through other means, such as through marriage, and when the child in question has not been acknowledged.
The right to a paternity suit lies with the child and a male citizen who considers himself his or her father.