Man suing ex wife for lying about paternity

[Ethel]

This is going to have enormous repercussions if he is successful. There has always been an assumption of legitimacy within marriage, probably because until recent years paternity was difficult to prove.

I do feel sorry for the daughter - what a dreadful position she is in. I'm sure there have been many fathers who have been happy and proud to be a proper 'dad' even with a nagging niggle in the back of their minds.

So, the question is - should he win?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-112646 3/Paternity-fraud-fight-husband--8216-duped-17 -years-wife-8217.html

[Annna]

My understanding is that his case has already been dismissed and he cannot take it to the high court.
However I do feel for him, seems like he has been duped and used appallingly. As a test case his failure may mean other men do not follow suit. Interesting case.

[flip_flop]

Yes - enormous repercussions or not, she has knowingly decieved this poor chap for years into believing the girl he believed to be his daughter was not his daughter.

I would be crushed if this happened to me.

A judgement against his former wife will create a common law that, hopefully, will encourage other women not to follow this evil path.

[Ice.Maiden]

I partly agree with Zacmaster.
How many men've been conned into believing that a child's theirs, whether it's been to get married and have a better life, or because the woman's had an affair and felt "obliged" to pretend, in order not to admit to her own guilt?
Every man deserves the right to know whether a child's his or not, but bringing compensation into it could cause even further turmoil.

[Ethel]

Doesn't anyone think it is an honour and privilege to be a dad?

[redcrx]

so is he saying he only stayed with his wife for the sake of the child being his?
does the fact that she has no been found not to be his mean he will no longer think of her as anything to do with him.
I feel so sorry for the girl more than anyone, she wasnt to blame for any of this. She grew up calling him daddy and thas exactly what he was.

anyone can be a father, it takes a lot to be a dad

[terambulan]

If parents are promisicuous, paternity is questionable. A mother assumes the father on her activity at conception.

Paternity and fatherhood are not the same.

[anotheoldgit]

Yes I hope he wins.

I agree with you regarding the child, and yes I suppose there are many men who would be happy to still class those children as their own.

But we do not live in an ideal world, and the law can be very one sided towards the mother. So we could have many cases where a mother has denied their ex-partner access to the child, and yet will still demand that ex-partner pays heavily towards the childs care.

In these cases why should he pay when it can be proven that he is not the father? It could also have serious implications regarding any future estate eligibility.

[flip_flop]

It is Ethel - I feel enormously blessed, but because I feel so blessed, and because it is an honour and a privilege, if I found out eighteen years later that, ultimately, they were misplaced feelings because I had been cruelly duped, then I would be spitting feathers.

This chap may still love his "daughter", but that wouldn't stop his sense of betrayal.

I think the compensation is clouding the issue - all, I think, I'd be after is the comfort that judgement had been awarded against the mother for her duplicitous ways.

[chelle7272]

IQuote: In these cases why should he pay when it can be proven that he is not the father?

Because her deceit, (which is of course wrong) aside, he has still had the privelege of being a dad, and he was not only in the relationship for the daughter but because he loved his wife too.
My patner ifs not my son's father, but he loves him, and pays for what he needs regardless, because of the family relationship. he doesn't refuse to pay for family things because my son is not his. He would not my son by treating him that way.

And yes I realise my patner was aware of this beforehand, and i'm sure this man is very angry. But if he has loved this girl as his daughter I don't see why he would put her through this.

[jno]

the real father seems not to have thought so, Ethel.

[Ethel]

He was a biological father, not a dad

[jno]

he could have insisted on taking up the honour and privilege but seemingly chose not to. So, no, not everyone wants to be a dad, even if they're fathers.

For the court to refuse the ruling because 'I would not wish to be the one to extend their misfortunes further' seems a new principle to me.

[anotheoldgit]

chelle7272

I was not referring to this case in particularly, only the fact that I hope he won the case, for the reasons I gave.

Regarding your own circunstances, do you think that your partner should by law, hand over any cash for his upbringing over to you? Especially if he was not in a family relationship with you and your child (not his but your child), and that you denied him access to that child?

[chelle7272]

AOG

No I would not expect financial support from my partner were we to seperate, but I would expect him to continue, on some level, his emotional relationship with my son (and my son with him).
I'm not sure why you have asked me the question. I would not deny access (and don't to his biological father ) and don't seek financial support.
My point was exactly the opposite. Family relationships should not be about money.

[Octavius]

Yes, he should win.

[anotheoldgit]

chelle7272

I am sorry you took it personal, I was only trying to get over to you where I was coming from, since you quoted me.

IQuote: In these cases why should he pay when it can be proven that he is not the father?

[anotheoldgit]

ps

I was only saying some women do deny access, I obviously do not know if you are among these type of women.