Opinion ID: 1187866
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Preventing multiple paternity determinations

Text: ¶ 19 Res judicata promotes finality and consistency. See Circle K, 179 Ariz. at 426, 880 P.2d at 646. Lalli argues that Division Two's opinion subverts that policy because it allows two separate paternity actions to be brought at different times against one man. But even considering the burden and possible harassment resulting, other courts have concluded that these concerns are outweighed... by the paramount interests of a child in an adjudication on the merits of paternity. Johnson, 447 N.W.2d at 876. In considering the equities, we note that new procedures and developments in law and science significantly mitigate the potential burden of multiple litigation.
¶ 20 Modern procedural rules require joinder of a party who claims an interest relating to the subject of the action and is so situated that the disposition of the action in his absence may ... as a practical matter impair or impede [his] ability to protect that interest. Ariz.R.Civ.P. 19(a). In the specific context of a paternity suit, many dangers of multiple litigation can be avoided by joining the child to the first action. See Hall, 191 Ariz. at 109, 952 P.2d at 753; R.A.J., 169 Ariz. at 96, 817 P.2d at 41; see also Kieler v. C.A.T., 616 N.E.2d 34 (Ind.App.1993) (observing that paternity defendant could have avoided problems had children been joined as necessary parties to first action). Moreover, because the child's interests potentially conflict with those of other parties involved, a guardian ad litem and independent counsel may be appointed to protect the child's interests. See Ariz.R.Civ.P. 17(g); R.A.J., 169 Ariz. at 96-97, 817 P.2d at 41-42. This, of course, depends on the identity of the other parties to the litigation and whether the child's interests can be fully, objectively, and disinterestedly represented. Given that we have identified the child's interests as distinct from those of the state and mother, we are reluctant to adopt a rule that such parties are always privies and representatives of the child, at least while they are also pursuing their own interests.
¶ 21 The Hall court cited two equitable considerations to support its holding. The first cite was to an important section of the RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF JUDGMENTS (RESTATEMENT): [C]onclusive effect should not be given to a status determination in resolving another person's rights or obligations in which the status is an operative element, if doing so would impair an interest arising from a just reliance interest or otherwise result in substantial injustice. Some earlier authorities insisted that a judgment determining status must necessarily be conclusive on all the world if it was to be conclusive beyond the parties in any way. More carefully considered authorities, however, recognize that a status judgment can be treated as effective at large without enforcing all its legal ramifications, and that treating it as operative when the interests of others are involved should depend on considerations of equity and good conscience. RESTATEMENT § 31 cmt. f (emphasis added); see also State ex rel. Dep't of Econ. Sec. v. Powers, 184 Ariz. 235, 237, 908 P.2d 49, 51 (App.1995) (discussing RESTATEMENT § 31 cmt. a and stating that absence of child from former proceeding weighs against application of issue preclusion). [3] ¶ 22 The second cite was to the Uniform Parentage Act (UPA). Although the UPA has not been legislatively adopted in Arizona, our courts have found its policies persuasive. See Stephenson v. Nastro, 192 Ariz. 475, 480, 967 P.2d 616, 621 (App.1998); Ban v. Quigley, 168 Ariz. 196, 199, 812 P.2d 1014, 1017 (App. 1990). Keeping the child's interests at the forefront, the UPA provides that the child is an indispensable party to a paternity action. See S.O.V., 914 P.2d at 360-61 (referring to Colorado's adopted version of the UPA). The UPA also requires that a guardian ad litem be appointed to represent the child's interests. Id.
¶ 23 We believe the burdens of consecutive or multiple litigation have been considerably lessened by scientific developments since Bill was decided. Arizona has adopted the following presumption: If the results of the blood tests indicate that the likelihood of the alleged father's paternity is ninety-five per cent or greater, the alleged father is presumed to be the parent of the child and the party opposing the establishment of the alleged father's paternity shall establish by clear and convincing evidence that the alleged father is not the father of the child. A.R.S. § 25-807(D). ¶ 24 Blood tests carry great weight in paternity determinations because the results do not depend upon a party's testimony and because the tests are verifiable. Gilmore, supra, 86 ILL. B.J. at 477. Before the use of blood tests, juries were often left to determine paternity by resolving the conflicting testimony of adverse witnesses, considering marital status of the parents, and examining the physical likeness of the defendant and the child. See Ronald J. Richards, Comment, DNA Fingerprinting and Paternity Testing, 22 U.C. DAVIS L.REV. 609, 611 n. 6 (1989). When blood tests were first used, the results placed the child and the father into certain categories based on blood characteristics. While the result could exclude the possibility that a particular man was the child's father, it could not affirmatively establish a single man as a father but could only narrow the class of potential fathers to those who shared the same blood characteristics. Id. at 612. A newer blood test, human leukocyte antigen tissue typing (HLA testing), identifies more specific blood characteristics and can establish parentage to ninety-eight percent probability. Id. at 612-13 n. 11. Modern DNA fingerprinting boasts even greater accuracy; by mapping the DNA of the mother and the child, the test comes closer than any other in positively identifying a child's father. Id. at 613, 620-24, & 627-28 n. 56. ¶ 25 The availability and accuracy of today's blood testing and the statutory presumption created by § 25-807(D) will forestall the filing of many paternity cases and dispose of many others by summary judgment. Thus, even if a man's paternity is relitigated for the benefit of the child, chances are the claim will often be quickly resolved by testing rather than by long, harassing litigation. ¶ 26 Balancing the factors discussed, we conclude that the rule adopted in Hall is best. We disapprove of Bill 's analysis and reject the view that a child is in privity with either the state or its mother in the context of a paternity action. In the future, a child not joined to a paternity action will not be precluded by its disposition. Thus, like Stanley, such a child may bring his or her own subsequent action to establish paternity. We believe this rule will vindicate the rights and interests of children without unduly burdening putative fathers with harassing, repetitive actions.