JAMES JOHNSON, APPELLANT,
v.
KARI RUBY, N/K/A KARI POST, APPELLEE
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James Johnson appeals the dismissal of his petition to establish paternity of a child born to Kari Post, who married another man before the child's birth. The court affirmed the dismissal, holding that under Florida law, a putative father has no standing to challenge paternity when a child is born into an intact marriage and both the mother and husband object.
A putative father has no right to seek to establish paternity of a child born into an intact marriage when the married woman and her husband object. The husband of the mother is presumed to be the child's biological father and is at minimum the child's legal father, and Johnson therefore has no cause of action.
[1] A putative father lacks standing to establish paternity of a child born into an intact marriage when the mother and her husband object.
[2] A husband is presumed to be the biological father of a child born during his marriage to the child's mother.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“a putative father has no right to seek to establish paternity of a child who was born into an intact marriage when the married woman and her husband object”
Establishes the core legal principle that Johnson lacks standing to challenge paternity in this case
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceJohnson and Post had sexual relations. Post married Michael Post on September 5, 1999. Johnson filed his paternity petition on September 17, 1999. The…
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SHAHOOD, J.
James Johnson (Johnson) appeals the order dismissing his Petition to Establish Paternity, Child Custody, and Child Support. We affirm.
Johnson filed a Petition to Establish Paternity, Child Custody, and Child Support regarding the alleged unborn child of Kari Post (Post), formerly known as Kari Ruby. Johnson alleged that he is the natural father of the child, although he and Post had never been married. Post filed a motion to dismiss the petition asserting that she is married and believes that her husband, Michael Post, is the father of Cameron Michael Post, the child who was born on Octpber 8,1999.
Following a hearing, the court dismissed the action on the basis that Johnson has no standing. The trial court found that:
1. Johnson and Post had sexual relations.
2. Post then married Michael Post on September 5,1999.
3. On September 17, 1999, Johnson filed the petition to establish paternity.
4. On October 8, 1999, the child was born.
Section 742.011, Florida Statutes (1999) states,
Any woman who is pregnant or has a child, any man who has reason to believe that he is the father of a child, or any child may bring proceedings in the circuit court, in chancery, to determine the paternity of the child when paternity has not been established by law or otherwise.
Johnson claims he has reason to believe he is the father of Post’s child because he and Post had sexual relations around the time of conception; therefore, the court erred in dismissing the petition. The prevailing law in this state, however, is that a putative father has no right to seek to establish paternity of a child who was born into an intact marriage when the married woman and her husband object. See I.A v. H.H., 710 So. 2d 162 (Fla. 2d DCA 1998); G.F.C. v. S.G. and D.G., 686 So. 2d 1382 (Fla. 5th DCA 1997). Rather, under such circumstances, the husband of the mother is presumed to be the child’s biological father; at a minimum, he is the child’s legal father. See § 382.013(2)(a), Fla. Stat. (1999)(“If the mother is married at the time of birth, the name of the husband shall be entered on the birth certificate as the father of the child, unless paternity has been determined otherwise by a court of competent jurisdiction.”); see also G.F.C., 686 So. 2d at 1385 (Paternity is “otherwise” established when a child is born to an intact marriage and recognized by the husband and the mother as being their child). •
Pursuant to the current state of the law, Johnson has no cause of action. Thus, the trial court correctly dismissed his petition because it had no authority to entertain it. See I.A
AFFIRMED.
GROSS, J., concurs.
KLEIN, J., concurs specially with opinion.
KLEIN, J.,
concurring specially.
I agree with the majority. I am writing only to add that, when the mother filed a motion to dismiss appellant’s petition, she also filed an affidavit signed by her and her husband which included the following:
7. That Kari Post and Michael Post both believe that he is the father of this child and that Kari Post has never stated to James Johnson, the petitioner, that he is the father of the child.
8. That Petitioner, James Johnson, has no relationship with the child and has never seen the child.
9. That her husband Michael Post acknowledges that he is the father of the child; is a very good father to the child and is in no way deficient in carrying out any of his responsibilities as the child’s father. 10.That even if the Posts were to ever one day divorce, Michael Post would not deny that he is the father of the child, Cameron Michael Post and he waives any further rights he may have to deny that he is the child’s biological and legal father and obligates himself to pay support for the child whether the parties are married or divorced.
When a mother is not married until shortly before she gives birth, it raises concern about sham marriages entered into primarily to circumvent a claim by a biological father. Mr. Post’s affidavit eases that concern, because it waives his right to contest his obligations if this marriage does not endure.
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Lander v. Smith, 906 So. 2d 1130 (Fla. 4th DCA 2005)…ption of legitimacy, “[t]he prevailing law in this state, however, is that a putative father has no right to seek to establish paternity of a child who was born into an intact marriage when the married woman and her husband object.” Johnson v. Ruby, 771 So. 2d 1275, 1275 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000); see also Tijerino v. Estrella, 843 So. 2d 984, 985 (Fla. 3d DCA 2003); Bellomo v. Gagliano, 815 So. 2d 721, 722 (Fla. 5th DCA 2002)(“The court expressly held that section 742.011 does not extend to permit the alleged biolo…1 / 2
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Treneka Simmonds v. Connor Perkins, 247 So. 3d 397 (Fla. 2018)…to have "some involvement in the child's life" would be in the child's best interests, the circuit court ultimately concluded that it was constrained by Fourth District precedent to dismiss the petition as a matter of law. Quoting Johnson v. Ruby , 771 So. 2d 1275, 1275-76 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000), the circuit court concluded that "[a] putative father has no right to [seek to] establish paternity of a child who was born into an intact marriage, when the married woman and her husband object." This inflexible rule o…1 / 2
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Maida Bellomo and John Bellomo v. Kenneth S.J. Gagliano, 815 So. 2d 721 (Fla. 5th DCA 2002)…constitutional right to sue for paternity. The court expressly held that section 742.011 does not extend to permit the alleged biological father of a child born of an intact marriage to sue for a determination of paternity. See also Johnson v. Ruby, 771 So. 2d 1275 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000) (prevailing law in Florida is that putative father has no right to seek to establish paternity of child born into intact marriage when mother and her husband object); S.B. v. D.H., 736 So. 2d 766 (Fla. 2d DCA 1999) (putative biol…
Previewing 3 of 10 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- G.F.C. v. S.G. and D.G., 686 So. 2d 1382 (Fla. 5th DCA 1997)
- I.A. v. H.H., 710 So. 2d 162 (Fla. 2d DCA 1998)