Opinion ID: 1160958
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Termination Date for Tom's Duty of Support

Text: Because a constructive parental relationship and legal fatherhood were not established, Tom's duty of support will terminate. Tom and CSED agree in theory that termination should relate back to the date that the husband files his complaint to disestablish paternity. [30] However, because of the unusual facts involved in the present case, the parties dispute the application of this theory. After filing the initial complaint which sought to disestablish paternity, Tom filed an amended complaint seeking to establish paternity, and later again amended his complaint to seek disestablishment. Tom argues that the termination date should relate back to date of the original complaint, while CSED contends that relation back should extend only to the date he filed his second amended complaint. In our view the correct answer is that the termination should be effective as of the date the first complaint was filed. Civil Rule 15(c) provides that [w]henever an amended claim is based on the same facts as the initial claim it relates back to the date of the original pleading. This test, which, at least literally, admits of no exceptions, is satisfied here. Further, CSED apparently did not change its position in reliance on the first amended complaint. Tom filed that complaint on December 22, 1994, yet the parties stipulated on December 27, 1994, to stop the distribution of child support payments received by CSED and instead to place them in escrow. We conclude therefore that Tom's support obligation ended as of the date he filed his original complaint.