Court Opinion

ID: 9581211
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:12:36.963107+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:36:46.668660
License: Public Domain

Hood, J.
(dissenting in part and concurring in part). I agree and concur with the majority opinion’s disposition of the appeal in the custody dispute (Docket No. 66712) and the appeal in the visitation dispute (Docket No. 70133). However, I must respectfully dissent from the majority’s affirmance of the accelerated judgment in the paternity action (Docket No. 66896).
Subject matter jurisdiction is an appropriate *765ground on which to raise a motion for accelerated judgment. GCR 1963, 116.1(2); Baker v Detroit, 73 Mich App 67, 71; 250 NW2d 543 (1976). However, the Paternity Act confers jurisdiction on the circuit courts for any action brought by a putative biological father seeking an order of filiation. MCL 722.714; MSA 25.494. That jurisdictional proviso uses mandatory language. Once a putative father files a paternity action seeking filiation in the proper circuit court, that court must conduct a hearing on the matter and enter an order of filiation if the child is the biological issue of the petitioner and a child born out of wedlock.
When Alan Castle petitioned for the order of filiation in April, 1982, the Legislature had amended the Paternity Act to include as a child born out of wedlock a child born during a marriage but not the issue of that marriage. MCL 722.711; MSA 25.491. Thus, under the clear and unambigious language of the act, Alan Castle did have standing to bring this paternity action and the circuit court did have subject matter jurisdiction. Moreover, a court hearing a motion for accelerated judgment must construe the plaintiffs well-pleaded facts favorably toward plaintiff. St Paul Fire & Marine Ins Co v Guardian Alarm Co of Michigan, 115 Mich App 278, 281; 320 NW2d 244 (1982). Alan Castle did plead that he was the biological father of Jessica Flynn. Therefore, I can find no basis for the trial court’s grant of accelerated judgment based upon lack of subject matter jurisdiction.
Finally, although I agree with the majority opinion’s finding that the primary purpose of the Paternity Act is to provide support for illegitimate children, Van Laar v Rozema, 94 Mich App 619, 622; 288 NW2d 667 (1980), the act certainly cannot *766be construed to preclude Alan Castle’s petition merely because David Flynn does currently provide support to Jessica Flynn and is willing to continue to do so. The act is concerned with determining the biological father’s duty to support. If Alan Castle declares himself to be that biological father, seeks a court determination of that fact, and is willing to accept support obligations thereto, his petition under the Paternity Act is appropriate.
Therefore, I would reverse the accelerated judgment granted in the paternity action, and would remand that case to the circuit court with an order to hold a hearing at which all relevant admissible evidence (including the HLA test results) shall be considered and to enter an order of filiation pursuant to Alan Castle’s petition if he should prove to be the biological father. I would order that the paternity determination be completed prior to the circuit court’s reconsideration of the petition for change of custody pursuant to our order of remand in the custody dispute appeal (Docket No. 66712).