Court Opinion

ID: 9718506
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 07:25:50.083778+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:59.799883
License: Public Domain

DAY, J.
(dissenting). The majority holds that Herman Caldwell, an illegitimate child, has no right to inherit from his father, Herman Blumreich, or recover for his father’s wrongful death.1 If Herman Caldwell were a *568legitimate child he would at least be able to have a court hear his claims. Because he is a posthumous illegitimate, he is denied that opportunity. Sec. 852.05(1), Stats. (1975), which requires that result, denies Caldwell both equal protection and due process. For these reasons I would hold the statute unconstitutional as applied to posthumous illegitimates. I would also hold that Caldwell has a right to have his paternity established in a declaratory judgment action.

Equal Protection.

The United States Supreme Court has not identified illegitimacy as suspect classification such as race or national origin, but it has struck down a number of classifications based on illegitimacy. In Levy v. Louisiana, 391 U.S. 68, 88 S. Ct. 1509, 20 L. Ed.2d 436 (1968) and Glona v. Amer. Guarantee & Liability Ins. Co., 391 U.S. 73, 88 S. Ct. 1515, 20 L. Ed.2d 441 (1968), the court invalidated an interpretation of the Louisiana wrongful death statute that precluded a wrongful death action by one whose relationship to the decedent was illegitimate. In Gomez v. Perez, 409 U.S. 535, 93 S. Ct. 872, 35 L. Ed.2d 56 (1973), the court held that illegitimates were denied equal protection under Texas statutory and common law because, unlike legitimates, they had no right to support from their natural father. In the recent case of Trimble v. Gordon, 430 U.S. 762, 97 S. Ct. 1459, 52 L. Ed.2d 31 (1977), a section of the Illinois Probate Act was held unconstitutional on equal protection grounds. Under that section illegiti-mates could inherit by intestate succession only from *569their mothers. Legitimate children could inherit from either intestate mothers or fathers. Trimble at 430 U.S. 763.
However, a statutory classification may deny equal protection to illegitimate children even if they are not absolutely or broadly barred from a benefit. In Weber v. Aetna Cas. & Surety Co., 406 U.S. 164, 92 S. Ct. 1400, 31 L. Ed.2d 768 (1968), the court held that it was a denial of equal protection to discriminate against unacknowledged illegitimates in providing benefits under a worker’s compensation statute. The statute allowed unacknowledged illegitimates to recover benefits only if the statutory maximum recovery had not already been exhausted by benefits to legitimate children or acknowledged illegiti-mates. Under Louisiana law, an illegitimate child could be acknowledged by a declaration executed before a notary public in the presence of two witnesses, or at the registering of the birth or baptism of the child. Weber at 406 U.S. 167, fn. 3.2
*570In Weber the court struck down the statutory classification of unacknowledged illegitimates even though the bar to benefits was not absolute. This result was in accord with Trimble at 430 U.S. 774, where the court made it clear that the Illinois intestacy statute denied equal protection to illegitimates even though, under the statute, there was no insurmountable barrier to inheritance by illegitimates.
These U.S. Supreme Court cases demonstrate that while illegitimacy is not a suspect classification like race, classifications that discriminate because of illegitimacy will receive more far-reaching equal protection scrutiny than laws regulating social and economic matters. Levy at 391 U.S. 71, 72. Trimble at 430 U.S. 767.
“. . .The tests to determine the validity of state statutes under the Equal Protection Clause have been variously expressed, but this Court requires, at a minimum, that a statutory classification bear some rational relationship to a legitimate state purpose. . . . Though the latitude given state economic and social regulation is necessarily broad, when state statutory classifications approach sensitive and fundamental personal rights, this Court exercises a stricter scrutiny. . . . The essential inquiry in all the foregoing cases is, however, inevitably a dual one: What legitimate state interest does the classification promote? What fundamental personal rights might the classification endanger?” Weber at 406 U.S. 172, 173.
The test of “rational relationship to a legitimate state purpose” is the basic equal protection analysis. The further balancing test of “. . . What legitimate state interest [a] . . . classification promote [s],” versus “. . . What fundamental personal rights might the classification endanger?” involves further scrutiny. In statutory classifications involving illegitimates, this additional scrutiny is not a suspect classification analysis such as with race, but a middle level scrutiny requiring more than a rational relationship test.
*571In applying this middle level scrutiny and determining what state interest the classification promotes, the state’s interest in encouraging stable family relationships may be considered. But, illegitimate relationships may not be discouraged by punishing the offspring of such relationships.
“The status of illegitimacy has expressed through the ages society’s condemnation of irresponsible liaisons beyond the bonds of marriage. But visiting this condemnation on the head of an infant is illogical and unjust. Moreover, imposing disabilities on the illegitimate child is contrary to the basic concept of our system that legal burdens should bear some relationship to individual responsibility or wrongdoing. Obviously, no child is responsible for his birth and penalizing the illegitimate child is an ineffectual — as well as an unjust — way of deterring the parent. Courts are powerless to prevent the social opprobrium suffered by these hapless children, but the Equal Protection Clauses does enable us to strike down discriminatory laws relating to status of birth where — as in this case — the classification is justified by no legitimate state interest, compelling or otherwise.” Weber at 406 U.S. 175, 176.3
“. . . we have expressly considered and rejected the argument that a state may attempt to influence the actions of men and women by imposing sanctions on the children born of their illegitimate relationships.” Trimble at 430 U.S. 769.
However, the court has recognized that problems of proof in paternity actions do constitute a legitimate state interest,
*572“The more serious problems oí proving paternity might justify a more demanding standard for illegitimate children claiming under their fathers’ estates than that required either for illegitimate children claiming under their mothers’ estates or for legitimate children generally.” Trimble at 430 U.S. 770.
Such problems of proof are not an adequate rationale for all types of classifications or extra requirements concerning illegitimates,
“We recognize the lurking problems with respect to proof of paternity. Those problems are not to be lightly brushed aside, but neither can they be made into an impenetrable barrier that works to shield otherwise invidious discrimination.” Gomez at 409 U.S. 538.
The purpose of sec. 852.05(1), Stats., as it applies to both heirship and wrongful death actions (sec. 895.04, Stats.) is to prevent fraudulent claims of paternity by alleged illegitimate children of deceased fathers. The statute attempts to limit such claims by requiring that an illegitimate prove heirship by an adjudication in a paternity action, an admission by the father in open court, or a written acknowledgment by the father. These requirements meet the first test: they are reasonably related to the purpose of preventing fraudulent claims. But, the statutory requirements do not attempt to balance the state’s interest in preventing fraud against the posthumous illegitimate's “fundamental personal rights” of inheriting from his father and recovering for his father’s wrongful death. The statute does not balance state against personal interest, but rather creates “an impenetrable barrier that works to shield otherwise invidious discrimination.” Gomez at 409 U.S. 538.
An illegitimate child born prior to his father’s death might have some chance to prove paternity and the collateral rights in dispute here. If the father were alive after the child was born it would be a good deal more *573likely that a paternity proceeding would be initiated or that the father would have acknowledged the child in open court or in writing. While a paternity proceeding could be brought prior to the birth such an occurrence is extremely unlikely. It is equally unlikely that a putative father would acknowledge a fetus either in writing or in open court. Counsel for Herman Caldwell offered to prove that Delores Caldwell only had sexual relations with Herman Blumreich during the period of conception and that Blumreich had verbally acknowledged his responsibility for Delores Caldwell’s pregnancy on several occasions. In the case of a posthumous illegitimate the further heavy burden of sec. 852.06(1), Stats, denies equal protection and bars any chance that the illegitimate might have of establishing his rights.

Due Process.

Sec. 852.05(1), Stats., denies Herman Caldwell due process by creating an irrebuttable presumption that bars unacknowledged or non-adjudicated posthumous illegiti-mates from proving that they are heirs or entitled to wrongful death benefits.
The due process irrebuttable presumption analysis has been developed by the United States Supreme Court in a number of cases.4 In Stanley v. Illinois, 405 U.S. 645, 92 S. Ct. 1208, 31 L. Ed.2d 551 (1972), an Illinois statute allowed for a child to be declared a ward of the state if *574it had no surviving parents. Parent was statutorily defined to include parents of legitimate children and the mother of illegitimate children. A child could not he declared a ward unless the parent was determined to be unfit. Mr. Stanley, the father of several illegitimates, whose mother had died, claimed that the statute unconstitutionally discriminated against him because it allowed for his children to become wards of the state with no adjudication of his unfitness.
The court based its ultimate holding on the equal protection clause, but also stated that the Illinois statute violated the fourteenth amendment due process clause. The court reasoned that while some fathers of illegitimate children might make unfit fathers, such fathers have parental rights, cognizable under the due process clause. Such fathers are denied due process by a presumption of their unfitness. Stanley, 405 U.S. at 657-659. The court held that while some illegitimate parents might make unsuitable parents, Mr. Stanley was entitled to a hearing to determine if he was fit. Id. at 405 U.S. 657, 658.
In Vlandis v. Kline, 412 U.S. 441, 93 S. Ct. 2230, 37 L. Ed.2d 63 (1973), the court declared unconstitutional a statute concerning classification of non-residents for purposes of tuition at a state university. Married students whose address was outside the state at the time of application, and unmarried students whose address was outside the state any time during the twelve months preceding application were classified as non-residents and were ineligible for lower tuition. The court analyzed the classification as an irrebuttable presumption and held that the state could not make a statutory classification purporting to be related to residency and then deny those seeking to meet the test of residency the opportunity to present factors concerning that issue. Vlandis at 412 U.S. 451, 452. The court stated,
“. . . it is forbidden by the Due Process Clause to deny an individual the resident rates on the basis of a perma*575nent and irrebuttable presumption of non-residence, when that presumption is not necessarily or universally true in fact, and when the state has reasonable alternative means of making the crucial determination.” 412 U.S. 452 (emphasis added).
In Cleveland Board of Education v. LaFleur, 414 U.S. 632, 94 S. Ct. 791, 39 L. Ed.2d 52 (1974), the court considered administrative regulations that required teachers to take pregnancy leaves four or five months before birth was expected. The court determined that these regulations created an irrebuttable presumption of disability starting in the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy and, that based on medical evidence, this presumption was not clearly or universally true. The court held that absent an individual hearing the rules violated the due process clause of the fourteenth amendment. LaFleur at 414 U.S. 644-648.
These cases demonstrate that where a statutory or regulatory classification is not clearly or necessarily related to the purpose of the rule, a constitutional irrebut-table presumption is created and an individual litigant harmed by the classification has a due process right to a hearing to show that they do not fit within the purpose of the classification.5
This case represents a complete denial of due process for Herman Caldwell and similarly situated posthumous illegitimates. The purpose of sec. 852.05(1) is to avoid fraudulent claims against estates and fraudulent wrongful death claims. The statute has the effect of irrebuttably *576presuming that all unacknowledged or non-adjudicated posthumous illegitimates, are making fraudulent claims and are not the children of the fathers they claim to he. This presumption “. . . is not necessarily or universally true in fact.” Vlandis at 413 U.S. 452. As this case and the case of Robinson v. Kolstad, post, p. 579, 267 N.W.2d 886 (1978), forcefully demonstrate, the presumption is often incorrect..
The currently increasing number of illegitimate births poses a problem in estates and wrongful death actions. The percentage of illegitimate births nationally from 1960 to 1976 has almost tripled. In Wisconsin, the percentage of illegitimate births during the same period has more than quadrupled. Absolute numbers of illegitimate births during this period have more than doubled nationally, and almost tripled in Wisconsin.6 Among the increasing number of illegitimate children there are bound to be those who, like Herman Caldwell, are born after the death of their father. Despite this phenomenon, sec. 852.-05(1), has the effect of denying posthumous illegitimates any means of establishing their paternity, unless a paternity proceeding is carried out or a written acknowledgment is made before the child is even born. These *577requirements effectively shut posthumous illegitimates out of the legal system and deny them the right to establish their paternity and attendant inheritance and wrongful death rights. Posthumous illegitimates, at least, must be given a chance to prove their paternity. The failure of the statute to provide that right is a denial of due process.
The majority claims that if sec. 852.05(1) were not in effect and if verbal evidence of paternity were admissible intolerable confusion would result.
“Potential heirs and claimants could not be identified with confidence until after the period of limitations had elapsed. The lurking possibility that an unknown putative child would come forward at some future time would frustrate the orderly settlement of estates and resolution of wrongful death claims.” (p. 562)
This same lurking possibility of an unknown putative child is present under sec. 852.05(1). The father may have acknowledged an illegitimate child in writing, unknown to the other heirs or parties liable for the father’s wrongful death.7 With or without sec. 852.05(1), potential heirs and claimants can not be identified with confidence until after the period of limitations has elapsed.
Because sec. 852.05(1) is unconstitutional, I would also hold that Caldwell could bring a declaratory judgment to prove his paternity. Sec. 806.04, Stats. (1975), the Declaratory Judgment statute provides in pertinent part that,
“(1) Scope. Courts of record within their respective jurisdictions shall have power to declare rights, status, *578and other legal relations whether or not further relief is or could be claimed. . . .
“(12) Construction. This section is declared to be remedial; its purpose is to settle and to afford relief from uncertainty and insecurity with respect to rights, status and other legal relations; and is to be liberally construed and administered.”
In Slawek v. Stroh, 62 Wis.2d 295, 306, 307, 215 N.W.2d 9 (1974), this court held that a declaratory action is an appropriate mechanism for a putative father to establish his natural parentage of an illegitimate child and to assert parental rights arising from that status.
In Miller v. Currie, 208 Wis. 199, 242 N.W. 570 (1932), this court held that the adult child of a common law marriage could have her alleged status, as the only legitimate child of her father, determined by a declaratory judgment.
I would also hold that a declaratory judgment is an appropriate means for an illegitimate child to establish rights of parentage. By the plain language of sec. 806.04 (1), the petitioner could have had any questions of his status and rights as a minor child of the decedent, not controlled by sec. 852.05(1) adjudicated in a declaratory action. The trial judge in the declaratory judgment action in this case found that the criteria of sec. 852.05 (1) foreclosed heirship and wrongful death rights, absent compliance with the statutory requirements. If sec. 852.-05(1) were constitutionally inoperative as applied to posthumous illegitimates there is no reason why that group could not use the declaratory action to establish their rights.
For these reasons I would reverse that part of the probate order that denied Herman Caldwell the right to a determination of whether or not he was an heir-at-law of the decedent, Herman Blumreich. Having determined in the probate court appeal that sec. 852.05(1) violated *579equal protection and due process, I would also reverse the order dismissing the declaratory judgment complaint.
I am authorized to state that Justice Shirley S. Abra-hamson concurs in this dissent.

 For the purpose of this appeal, the allegations in the declaratory judgment complaint must be assumed to be true. Clark v. *568Corby, 75 Wis.2d 292, 301, 249 N.W.2d 567 (1977). The complaint alleges that Herman Blumreich was the father of Herman Caldwell. In the estate proceeding, Herman Caldwell’s guardian ad litem offered to prove that Caldwell was the illegitimate son of Herman Blumreich.

 Under Louisiana law an acknowledgment could not he made if the parents were incapable of contracting marriage at the time of conception, but the acknowledgment could be made later if the parents contracted a legal marriage with each other. Weber, 406 U.S. 168, fn. 3. In Weber the deceased worker-father, Mr. Stokes could not easily have acknowledged his illegitimate children because he could not have contracted a legal marriage at the time of the conception of the illegitimates. At that time Stokes was married to another woman who was in a mental institution. Justice Blackmu'n, concurring in the result, thought that this added burden on Stokes was important and would have based his decision on that factor. However, Justice Blackmun acknowledged that the court was holding the Louisiana statute unconstitutional wholly apart from the inability of Stokes to acknowledge the illegitimates. 406 U.S. at 176, 177. The barrier to acknowledgment in Weber was not greater than in the case of a posthumous illegitimate under Wisconsin law because a putative father would have little reason to acknowledge an unborn child and paternity proceedings would not normally be initiated prior to birth.

 The Judiciary Committee’s comment to Wis. Stats. Ann., sec. 852.05 (1977) is in agreement.
“Moreover, most illegitimate children become adopted, and their status becomes that of children of the adoptive parents. Nevertheless, it is important to modernize our statutes on inheritance by, from and through illegitimate persons. Although illegitimacy is still against public policy, a change in the inheritance laws does not promote illegitimacy but merely protects the innocent child.”

 The court has made clear that the irrebuttable presumption analysis may not be applied to all statutory classifications. The right claimed affected by the irrebuttable presumption must have some constitutionally protected status. Weinberger v. Salfi, 422 U.S. 749, 771, 772, 95 S. Ct. 2457, 45 L. Ed.2d 522 (1975). However, from what has already been stated in the equal protection discussion, it is clear that the ability to establish paternity and inherit from one’s father affects, “. . . sensitive and fundamental personal rights.” Weber at 406 U.S. 172, 173.

 This analysis has been criticized by some commentators because while due process is the constitutional term employed, the analysis is similar to that employed in strict scrutiny equal protection. The Irrebuttable Presumption Doctrine In The Supreme Court, 87 Harv. L. Rev. 1534 (1974). Note, Irrebuttable Presumptions: An Illusory Analysis, 27 Stan. L. Rev. 449 (1974); Gunther, Individual Rights In Constitutional Law, p. 486 (1975). Despite these criticisms, Stanley, Vlandis and LaFleur still represent part of the governing minimal requirements of procedural due process.

Source: Wisconsin Statistics are from the Public Health Statistical Reports, Tables 14 and 23. U. S. statistics for 1960-1970 are from Vital Statistics of U. S., Vol. 1 Natality, Table 1-29, p. 129 (1973). The 1976 figures are from the Monthly U. S. Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 26, No. 12, p. 4 (March 29, 1978).

 In Estate of Ecker, 174 Wis. 432, 182 N.W. 977 (1921), this court found that the requirement of a written acknowledgement of illegitimate paternity was met based on a contract and notes to a saloonkeeper. The contract for purchase of a thresher referred to “Joseph Ecker and son.” One of the notes to the saloonkeeper was written in German and stated, “Give my son Adolph a keg of beer on my name. Joseph Ecker.” Ecker at 174 Wis. 435.