Pr

oofofPat
erni
ty
Pr
oofofpat
erni
tyr
ais
est
heques
tion:whoi
sthef
atherofapar
tic
ularc
hil
d?

Legi
timateChil
d
 Onewhoi sb ornorparentswhowerelegall
ymarr i
edtoeachot
heratt heti
meofthe
chil
d’sconceptionorb
irth,oratanypointbetweenthosetwodates.
 I fthep arentsarenotlegal
lymarri
edtoeac hotheratanyofthesestages
,thec
hil
dis
extra-mar i
tal
.

 Fi
rstitmustb
ed i
sti
ngui
shedi
fthemot
heri
smar
riedorunmar
ried
,henc
eift
hec
hil
dis
l
egit
imateori
ll
egiti
mate

Mar
riedMot
her
s
 Certai
np res
umpti
onsarecreat
edwithinourl
aw,andi
tisar
ebut
tab
lep
res
ump
tiont
hat
thehusbandist
hef at
herofthechi
ld.

Pat
eres
tquemnupt
iaedemons
trant
 “Marriageind i
cateswhot hef at
heri s”
 Thismayb er ebuttedb yproofonab al anc eofp r
ob ab i
li
tiesb ythehus band
 AccordingtoRoman-Dut chlaw,t hi
sc ouldb erebut tedb as edoni mpot
enc e,st
er i
lityorif
inter
c oursedidnott akep l
aceatt i
meofc onception.
 InSout hAf r
icanlawwef oll
owt hepos itioninEngl and :thenei therspouseisp ermittedto
testi
fyi ncourtthatt heyd i
dnothav es exualinterc ourseatt het imeofc onception.Thi
s
wasf oll
owedb y1935,b utthenlegislat ureintervenedandwenowhav es 3oft heCivil
Proceed i
ngsEv i
denc eAct,whichmeanst hattheyc anb ringp r
ooft oshowi ntercoursedid
nottakep laceatt hatt i
me.

 TheLati
nmaximc anbereb
uttedbyhusbandatanyti
me,whatevertheageoft
hec
hil
d
 Anyint
erest
edp ers
oncanals
or eb
utthep res
umpti
on,incl
udi
ngthechil
d
 Themostimpor
tantnotetorememberisthebesti
nterestofthechi
ld

Unmar
riedMot
her
s
 Thep os i
tionusedt obeifs henamedap ar
ticul armanast hef ather,ort heyhads exual
interc our seatanyt i
me( evenb eforethec onc eption)orhead mit
tedt oit,themanwas
aut omat i
call
ythef ather
 S1oft heChildren’sStat usAc tof1987s tat est hatwhent hereisaj udici
alproceeding(i
e
thatt hec asegoest ocour t)ort hereisaj udic i
alad miss
ionori tisprovedthattheman
hads exwi ththemot heratt het i
met hechildc ouldhav ebeenc onceived,heispres umedto
bet hef atheroft hechildunlesst hecontraryi sproved
 Theonusi sonhi mtop roveonab alanceofp r obabili
tiesthathei snott hefather
 Ther ef ore,thead missi
onofi ntercours
ec ouldb ei
noroutofc ourt.

Caut
ionar
yRul
e
 Itwassaidt
hatevid
encefromwomenshoul
dbeli
stenedtowithcauti
onbec
ausetheytend
tol
ie.
 HeSupremeCourtofAp
p ealr
ejec
tedt
hisrul
e,asitisi
rrat
ionalandunj
ustl
yster
eotyped
.

Ot
herwaysofd i
sprov i
ngpat ernity
 Absenceofs exualintercourse
 Steril
it
y( p
at erni
t ycanb erefutedi
ft hemanisster
ile)
 Bloodandtissuet ests(stati
stic
alcertai
ntyof99%)
 DNAt ests–(mor ec onc
lusivethanbloodtes
ts)

I
ssue:c
ant
hep
art
iesi
nvol
vedb
efor
cedt
otakes
ucht
est
s?

CASE:v
anLut
ter
vel
dvEngel
s1959(
mar
riedwoman,af
fai
rwi
thmi
nor
)
Pg132
 Fac ts:Ther es pond enti nt hisc asei sad i
v orc edwomanwhoi ns titut edanac ti
oni nt he
magi st rat es ’c our tagai ns tt heap pel ant ,ami norman( vanLut ter vel d).Hewasas sist edb y
hisf ather /nat ur alguar d ian.Theac tionwasf ormat ernit yexp ens esandmai nt enanc ef or
ac hildt hats heal l
egesi shi s.
 Shet es tifeidt hatt heap p ellantandher s
el fhads exualint erc our se,r es ultingi nt he
pregnanc y( s hegav eb irthon27June1956) /Sheal soallegedt hats hewass tillmar r ied
whent hec hildwasc onc eiv ed ,b utd ur ingt hep eriodi nwhi cht hec hildc oul dhav eb een
conc eiv eds exuali nter c
our sed idnott akep l
ac ewi thherhus band .I nt hemagi s trat es ’
cour therc lai mwass uc ces sf ulb utv anLut ter v eldt ookt hec as et ot heAp pell
antDi v ision
(AD)
 Ther ei swasar guedt hatt hemar r i
agewasaf ailur ef r
omt hes tar tandt hehus b andwas
noti nt er est edi nas exualr elat ions hipi ns piteoft hef ac tt her es pond enthadas t rong
des iret ohav eherownc hi ld.Ther es p ond ental l
egednos exuali nter c our s ehadt akenp lave
bet weenher s elfandherhus b ands inc eFeb ruar y1955,b utt hats hehadmett hemi nori n
Ap ril
/Mayandf romt hatt i
met oFeb r uar y1956s heandt hemi norhadr egul ari nt er c our se.
InJanuar y1956s hed iscov er eds hewasp r egnantandac c ord i
ngt omed icalev idenc e
conc ep tionoc cur redon21Oc tob er1955.
 Thehus bandwasb roughti ntot hec our tandc onf imr edheral legat ionsexc ep theal leged
thei rsexualr elat i
ons hiphads top pedi nMar c h/ Ap ril1955.Heal soad mi ttedhi ss exual
ur geswer eweak,andap p roxi mat elyb efor et heb irthof thec hildhef iledf ord ivor ced uet o
herad ul ter y.
 Themi noral l
egedhed idnothav eas exualr elat ions hipbutonl yhadi nt er cours eonone
occ asion,b eing21Oc tob er1955,b uthehadp r ecaut i
onss oc laimedt her ewasnowayhe
coul db et hef ather .Het her ef orer eliedont hep at eres tquemnupt iaedemons trant .
 Resul t:Thec our tr uledt hatt hemi norwast hef atherb ec aus et hehus b andandwi fe
ef fectiv elyr eb ut tedt hep at eres tquemnupt iaedemons t rantpres ump t i
onands ot he
claimsagai ns tt hemi norwer ej us tified .Hewast her efor eor der edt op aymai nt enanc eand
mat er nit yf ees .

CASE:Seet
alvPr
avi
tha1983(
bloodt
est
s,powerofc
our
ts-yes
)
Pg136
 LegalQues t i
on:whenc ant hec our texer c isether ightt of or cemot herandc hi
ldt ohav ea
bloodt es tund erp roofofp aternity?
 Fac ts:Theap pl
icant( Seet al)ins ti
tut edd ivorcep roceed i
ngsagai nstt hed ef endant
(Prav itha)ont hegr ound sofheral l
egedad ulter y,andal sowant edanor derd eclaringher
4yearol dc hildwasb ornoutofwed loc kandt her efor enothi s,s ohes houldnothav etop ay
mai ntenanc e.
 Thec hildwasc onc eivedaf tert heap plicantandd efend antwer emar r i
edb uthewas
conv incedanot herunknownp er sonwast hef at heroft hec hi
ld.Hehadnop roof,ot her
thant hef ac tt hec hild’sp hysicalap pear anc ed i
dnotc or res pondwi thhi s.
 Thi swasnots ub stant ialp roof,s ohet riedt of or cet hemot herandc hildtot akeb l
ood
test sandas kedt hec our tst oc omp elt hemt os bub mitt ot het es ts.Themot herop posed
thisap p l
icat ionb utwi thoutgi vingr eas ons .
 Res ult:Thec our tr uledi td idnothav et hec apac ityt oor d ert hemot herandc hil
dt ohav e
theb loodt es tsb utl eftop ent heques tionsast owhent hec our tc anexer cisethisp ower ?
Fur ther mor e,ast heup perguar dianofmi nors,t hec our tc ouldagr eet ob loodt estson
behal foft hec hil
d ,butonl yifi twasi nt heb esti nt er es tsoft hec hid.
 Inthi sc aset hehus bandd i
dnothav emuc hp roofs ot hec our ts aidt herewasnotmuc h
doub tast owhot hef at herwas .Thec our ts aiditwoul db ei ntheb es tinter estsoft he
childift hec ur rentmanr emai nedt hef at herasi fhewasnott hec hildcouldnoti nheritor
fallund eranyot herb enef its.Thet estt her efor ed idnott akep l
ac eandt heap plicati
on
wasd ismiss ed .

NewPres
umptionforRefusalt
oSubmiss
iontoaBloodTest
 AferSeet
t alvPravi
that
herewasmuc
hdisc
uss
ionandl
egi
sl
atur
ethenc
reat
edap
res
ump
tion
i
nt ermsofs 2oftheChildr
en’ sSt
atusAc t
 Thepr esumpti
onis:i
fonep artyasksanotherpartyt
ogoforabloodtes
tandt
hatotherparty
ref
uses ,itwil
lbepresumedthattherefusalisai
medatconc
eal
ingt het
rut
haboutt
hec hi
ld’
s
pater
ni t
y.
 Thi
sc anb erebut
tedonab alanceofprobabi
li
ties
:
 Certainrel
igi
ousgr oup s,suchasJehov ah’switnesses,arenotall
owedtogiveorrecei
veblood
asitispartoft heirb od i
es,i
tc anbear gueditisani nvasi
onofprivac
yandd i
gni
ty,ora
personcouldbeunwi l
lingt odis
c l
osetheirHIVs tatus.
 Ifthep r
esumpt ionisnotr ebutteditisassumedt hep ers
onishidi
ngthetruthandsoitist
o
thei
rd i
sadvantageast hepresump t
ionandot herev i
denceisrequi
redtorebutthepaterest
quemnupt i
aedemons t rantpresump ti
on.

SvL1992(
bloodt
est
s,powerofc
our
ts-no)
Pg159
Thi
scasediffer swithSeet alvPr avit
ha
 Fac ts:Theap pli
canti sthemot herofa10-yearol dgi rl
,ands heap pliedforani nc r
eas ei
n
maintenanc ef romt heallegedf ather .Initi
allyhehadp aidthemai nt enanc ebutt hen
contend edhewasnott hef atherandr eques tedt heap pell
antandt hec hi
ldsub mit
thems elvestob l
oodt eststod etermi net hep aternity.Theap plicantagr eedatf i
rstb ut
thenr ef us
edt oallowt heb l
oodt est s
.
 Thec our tast heup perguar di
anofmi nor sdoesnothav et hep owert oi nterferewi tha
decis
ionoft heap p
el l
antasguar diant hatt hec hil
ds houldnotund ergob l
oodt ests,
especiallyi
fi twasnotc l
eart hatitwoul dbei nt hebes tinterestoft hechild
.
 Resul t :JudgeMul l
inshel dthec our tdoesNOThav ethep owert ointer f
erewi tht he
decis
ionoft hemot hert ohav eac our tcas e

OvO1992(
bloodt
est
s,powerofc
our
ts-yes
)
Pg170
 Fac ts:Ac hil
dwasb orn7mont hsaf terac oupl
e’ sdi
v orceandwast her eforec ons idered
l
egitimat e.Theot heral legedf at herc ouldnotb et raced ,andt hec our tfoundt her ewasa
goodandl ovingr elations hipb etweent he“ f
ather ”andc hil
dandt hec hil
dac cep tedhi mas
herfat her .Inv iewoft hed est ructiveef fectont heemot i
onalwel l-beingoft hec hildand
therelations hipwi tht hatc hil
d ,theb loodt estswer er ef used( itwoul dnotb einb est
int
eres tsoft hec hild
.
 Fr i
edmans aidthati fi twer et ob ef oundt hatt heallegedf at herwasnott hef at heroft he
chi
ld,itwoul dhav ea“ dev astat ingef fec tonher ”andt hec loseandl ovingr elations hi
p
wouldc omet oanend .Al s o,sinc etheot herman“ S”c ouldnotb ef ound ,itwoul dnotb efai
r
tosub j
ec tt hec hil
dt os uc hunc er t
aint y.
 Res ult:Thec our t,ast heup p
erguar dian,saiditwasc omp et entt oor d
ert hec hildt o
undergob l
oodt es tsb utonl yift hiswasi ntheb estint erestsoft hec hil
d.

ExPar
teEmmer
son(
bloodandt
iss
uet
est
sond
eceas
edf
ather
)
Pg169
 Fac ts:Aman( fatheroft hec hi
ld)waski l
ledinac arac c
identonthewayt othecourtcase,
andthec ourtor deredthatamed icalexp ert,aswellast hepersoni ncontrolofthe
mortuary,obt ainskin,bl
oodandt i
s sues amplesoft hatmant oascer t
ai nthepaterni
ty.
Theap pl
icantwant edt oprovep ater nit
yt oinsti
tuteac l
aimforhises tate.
 Resul t:Thec ourtallowedt hetests ,asitwasnotani nvasi
onoft heb odyashewasno
l
ongeral egalp ersonali
tyandi twoul dbeint hebestinterestsoft hec hi
ldasitmightbe
abl
et oinherit.

OTHERI
SSUESCONCERNI
NGPATERNI
TY
1)Exc
epti
opl
uri
umconcubenti
um
 manad mitssexwithawomand uri
ngt hetimeofc onc eptionb utalsos
aysandproveshe
wasnott het hatthewomanhadas exualrelati
ons hipwi th.
 Theques t
ioni s
:whoist hefat her?Thec our tdidnotl i
ket hed ef
encewhenamanp r
oved
thatawomanhehads exualrelati
onswi thhadr elationswi thmanyot hermensohe
declar
edb ecauseofherp romiscui
t yhecouldnotb ethef ather,soexcept
iopl
urium
concubentiumisnolongerac ceptableinourlaw.
 Thereareothermeansofdetermi ningpaternit
yav ailabl
einourl aw:
2)DNA,bloodtests

3)Cont
raception
 Pr esumpti
onofpaterni
tywi
llnotb
ereb
utt
edi
famanp
rov
esheus
edc
ont
rac
ept
ionasi
t
isnot100%effec
tive
4)Phs
yicalfeatures
 I fphysicalap
p earanc
eofac hi
ldi
sinconsis
t entwit
ht hatoftheal
legedf
atheri
tdoesnot
holdmuchwei ghtastherearemanyot herfactorscontri
buti
ngtotheappear
anceofa
chil
d,suchasot hergenesfr
omot hermemb ersoffamily

5)Ges
tati
onp eri
od
 Therei snodefi
nit
eperi
od,t
hec ourt
sdecieonanadhocb
d asi
s,andmed
icalev
idenc
emus
t
b
eb r
oghtast owhenthechi
ldhasbeenconcei
ved
.