Paternity

[goldingay]

Can a german court request an english man to take a paternity test and pay maintenance?

He lives in England, left Germany before the child was born and has not had any contact with her or the child?

I am going out of my mind with worry as to whether he owes backpay if they can make him take a DNA test and prove he is the father.

The child is now 13 years old.

Please help

 

[NYClex]

actually yes. According to German law a father has to pay child support until the child is either 18 or has completed his education, whatever takes longer. Since the government in Germany usually pays child welfare for children where deadbeat fathers should have paid, the government under the law can make the father repay them, with interest, all that they paid.

Now of course it is a question of jurisdiction, if they actually can collect. Germany has some international treaties with other countries facilitating this, and of course, since Britain is a member country of the European Union, as is Germany, there are European Law regulations governing this.

So if the English guy actually lives in England or anywhere in Europe chances are very good that the German courts will get him.

His only chance is the concept of laches which exists also in German law. If the mother, or the government have not tried to find him for 13 years and only recently got the idea, he would have a good chance in court to argue that he should not pay back payments. But for future payments he still would be held liable.