Pennsylvania Named Wrong Dads on 500 Birth Certificates

Oops! The transition to new technology in the state’s Division of Vital Records resulted in the botching of 500 new Pennsylvania birth certificates—each with the wrong name entered where the father’s name should go.

Spokeswoman Holli Senior says the problem affected about 500 birth certificates. The software was supposed to pull the fathers’ names from state records, but wound up pulling information from other areas of the birth records so the fathers’ names were incorrectly printed on the birth certificates.

The state’s permanent, computerized birth records are correct, however. Those with bollixed birth certificates have received a letter explaining the mix-up and instructions on how to get a corrected copy.

Here’s hoping the state explained the mix-ups before any family arguments were started. [AP]