Opinion ID: 1934454
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Proof of Parentage.

Text: The testimony of the prosecutrix to the effect that the defendant was her father was sufficient proof of her pedigraic status. The defendant contends that the State did not prove by competent evidence that the prosecuting witness was his daughter; that the only evidence produced was hearsay; and that the State should have introduced evidence of greater reliability, such as a birth certificate or other documentary evidence. 31 C.J.S., Evidence, Sec. 226 (b), states that: It has been held proper, where the evidence is otherwise competent, for one to testify to facts of family history which relate to him, such as the identity of his parents, or other relations   . In Comstock v. State, 14 Neb. 205, 15 N.W. 355 (1883), it was said: It is certainly competent for one who, from his earliest recollection, has been a member of one's family, given his name, and reared in the belief, and in all ways given to understand that he is a son in the household, to testify of his parentage. His testimony may not be satisfactory or conclusive of the fact, but it is at least admissible for what it is worth in the minds of the jury, and clearly sufficient to make a prima facie case, thus throwing the burden of overcoming it upon him who controverts it. To so rear a child, is in the nature of an admission of parentage, and should be so regarded. See also In re Gane's Estate, 114 Cal. App. 17, 299 P. 550 (1931), in which a daughter was allowed to testify that she was the natural child of her mother. It was pointed out in Crawley v. Selby, 208 Ga. 530, 67 S.E.2d 775 (1951), that the hearsay rule refers only to declarations of pedigree by deceased or unavailable parties, and not to testimony by one who is a witness in the case. The opinion further states: Since the witness is herself the one to whom the facts relate, it is not necessary for her to first establish by independent evidence her relationship to her family   . It has also been held proper for one to testify to facts of family history which relate to him. And see Dazio v. Wainwright, 81 So.2d 96 (La. App. 1955), which held that: A proper distinction must be made between an unsworn hearsay declaration resorted to to prove an essential fact and the testimony of a witness on matters within his personal knowledge. Other cases applying the same rule where one member of a family testified to his relationship to another member include Vargas v. Vargas, 131 Cal. App.2d 748, 281 P.2d 18 (1955), and Helekahi v. Laa, 32 Hawaii 1 (1931). None of the Maryland cases on pedigree evidence involved direct testimony of a relationship but instead concerned declarations of deceased persons, which, incidentally, are admissible as an exception to the hearsay rule. See Gray v. Rideout, 190 Md. 204, 57 A.2d 778 (1948); Craufurd v. Blackburn, 17 Md. 49 (1861); Copes v. Pearce, 7 Gill 247 (1848); State, use of Charlotte Hall School v. Greenwell, 4 G. & J. 407 (1832); Walkup v. Pratt, 5 H. & J. 51 (1820). However, in the Craufurd case, even such declarations are referred to as primary evidence, not as secondary evidence, to be excluded when a witness having personal knowledge is available. In the instant case, the testimony of the daughter was not hearsay. Her testimony was not controverted. And, if believed, it was sufficient to establish proof of the fact that the defendant was her father. The weight of the evidence was for the jury.