Opinion ID: 1670353
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: effects of dual paternity

Text: Recognition of actual paternity, through filiation actions brought by the legitimate child, the biological father or the state, does not affect the child's statutory classification of legitimacy. Consequently, this paternity and support action will not alter Donel Smith's status as the legitimate offspring of her mother's former husband, Henry Smith. LSA-C.C. art. 184 et seq. Through the presumption of Article 184, which extends to all children born or conceived during the marriage, and the expiration of the peremptive period of Civil Code art. 189, Donel is conclusively presumed to be Smith's legitimate offspring. The disavowal action was personal to Smith and only he or his heirs had the right to disavow Donel's paternity. LSA-C.C. arts. 187, 190; In re Murray, supra . His failure to do so timely established Donel as his legal and legitimate child. LSA-C.C. arts. 184, 189. The legal tie of paternity will not be affected by subsequent proof of the child's actual biological tie. Legitimate children cannot be bastardized by succeeding proof of actual parentage. The Article 184 presumption will not be extended beyond its useful sphere. The presumption was intended to protect innocent children from the stigma attached to illegitimacy and to prevent case-by-case determinations of paternity. It was not intended to shield biological fathers from their support obligations. Cf. State, through DHHR v. Hinton, supra ; State in interest of Poche v. Poche, supra ; State in interest of Guillory v. Guillory, supra . The presumed father's acceptance of paternal responsibilities, either by intent or default, does not enure to the benefit of the biological father. It is the fact of biological paternity or maternity which obliges parents to nourish their children. The biological father does not escape his support obligations merely because others may share with him the responsibility. Biological fathers are civilly obligated for the support of their offspring. Starks v. Powell, supra . They are also criminally responsible for their support. LSA-R.S. 46:236.1(F); State, through DHHR v. Hinton, supra ; State in interest of Guillory v. Guillory, supra ; see also Malek v. Yekani-Fard, supra , and State v. Jones, 481 So.2d 598 (La.1986). Moreover, because of his actual relationship with Donel, developed when he and plaintiff lived together as a family unit, defendant may have parental rights which are constitutionally protected. Since Henry Smith's failure to disavow paternity would not preclude defendant from bringing an avowal action, it would be unjust to construe the presumption so as to provide defendant with a safe harbor from child support obligations. Articles 208 and 209 give the child or the child's mother, the right to bring a filiation proceeding. O'Bannon v. Azar, 506 So.2d 522 (La.App. 1st Cir.1987). Further, as the child is in necessitous circumstances, it appears to be in her best interest to recognize the biological tie. Such recognition results in defendant being obligated to provide his biological child with support. In summary, Louisiana law may provide the presumption that the husband of the mother is the legal father of her child while it recognizes a biological father's actual paternity. When the presumptive father does not timely disavow paternity, he becomes the legal father. A filiation action brought on behalf of the child, then, merely establishes the biological fact of paternity. The filiation action does not bastardize the child or otherwise affect the child's legitimacy status. The result here is that the biological father and the mother share the support obligations of the child. The question of whether the legal father in this case also shares the support obligation is not before the court. We decline for now to hold the legal father will, in all factual contexts, be made to share the support obligations with the biological father and the mother. [8]