If not for the mother's criminal conduct, Donahue could have commenced a paternity action. The Legislature has made the determination that public policy is not advanced by permitting individuals who feloniously and intentionally kill a decedent to inherit property under a will or by intestate succession, to obtain jointly owned property, to receive insurance proceeds, or to recover damages in a wrongful death action. Equivalently, there is no reason to believe that the Legislature's intention was to authorize a child's mother to determine whether the child will have a relationship with the putative paternal grandparents as a result of her criminal act. It is the opinion of this Court that plaintiff, as the personal representative of the estate of Donald Donahue III may pursue this paternity action. In light of the determination that this case is brought pursuant to the Paternity Act, the question of whether venue is proper with this Court needs to be resolved as an issue of fact.
Venue is in the county where the mother or child resides.